


Turner Timeline--1965

by abbyleaf101, Chariot_to_Somewhere



Series: Turner Timeline [1]
Category: Call the Midwife
Genre: Gen, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-30
Updated: 2018-01-30
Packaged: 2019-03-11 12:00:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 23,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13523817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abbyleaf101/pseuds/abbyleaf101, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chariot_to_Somewhere/pseuds/Chariot_to_Somewhere
Summary: Follows the Turner family (and their extended family and friends) in the year 1965.Can be considered canon compliant up through series 6.





	1. Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> This started as a few head canons about Tim in university. And has grown into its own little AU world.   
> Current updates are posted to turnertimeline.tumblr.com

All first year students were assigned to tour groups to go around the university campus so everyone would be at least vaguely familiar with where things were located. For Tim, it was mostly an annoyance, his dad had gone to the same university and Tim had gone with him to alumni functions before. But the papers he was given made it seem like the tours were mandatory. 

Tim forced himself to keep up with the group but his mind was wandering after the third repeated question about where the dining hall was in relation to the library. Rolling his eyes, Tim turned his head towards a window and caught the eyes of another equally bored group member. She gives him a small smile and Tim grins back. He turns away though, not wanting her to think he’s being creepy. But she was pretty, light brown hair, dressed in a patterned shirt that made her light eyes seem vibrant. He had definitely noticed more than he probably should have in such a short glance. 

Without realizing it, Tim slows a bit and ends up closer to her. Someone else asks about the dining hall and Tim can’t help but groan in exasperation. 

“Hey, do you know where the dining hall is?” The girl asks.   
“I don’t know, maybe we should ask!” Tim laughs. 

They keep walking together, not really talking through the tour, but rolling their eyes at each other when the inevitable stupid questions come again. Tim doesn't push her to talk or show off to her but it's nice to have someone to turn to if she wants to chat to as they walk around.

As the tour ends and the leader starts asking if anyone has questions, Tim turns to duck away so he doesn’t have to hear all of the questions from the last hour repeated. The girl turns too and they nearly bump into each other. 

“Running away too?” Tim asks. 

“Yes. I know how a library works and that the dining hall is the next building over.” She rolls her eyes. 

When Tim realizes that they’re going to be walking in the same direction for a little longer he turns and offers her his hand. “My name’s Tim by the way.”

“Annette.” This time she really smiles and shakes Tim’s offered hand.


	2. Growing Friendship

After a shared class they end up walking home together, and there's a little cafe and Tim asks if she wants to stop and grab something to eat.  
She's hesitant, because what if Kenneth, her boyfriend, finds out or sees?

Tim worries maybe he freaked her out a bit? He thinks she's so pretty already, but he wasn't trying to like, make a ~move  
"I'm sorry if I've made you uncomfortable, I'm not trying to...I didn't mean anything by asking you to join me. It's just...I'm not used to being on my own in an apartment, it gets quieter than I'm used to." He fidgets with his hands a bit, like Patrick does  
Annie finds herself smiling, holding back a giggle  
"I think coffee and something to eat would be fine." Something about him strikes her as sincere.

They start getting stopping for coffee or dinner when they both end class at the same time  
which happens maybe 2 or 3 times a week  
sometimes other friends they've made join  
Kenneth is there a few times  
Because that first time, Annette made sure Tim knew she had a boyfriend

Tim mostly doesn't care about Kenneth when they meet. He's just Annie's boyfriend  
kind of wanker but so are lots of people  
Whereas Kenneth hates Tim almost on sight  
and Tim just doesn't have much of an opinion about him really  
if asked hed be like "he seems ... nice?"  
There's not a lot of people that Tim actively despises  
Kenneth starts ranting about "men like Tim" as soon as he and Annie leave that first time  
Annette is just like .... 0.o men like him?  
Kenneth is implying he's queer, but also like the general sycophantic, simpering, weak willed, cowardly, etc etc  
probably immoral  
as if he's one to talk about immoral  
immoral by his and George's standards

He starts feeling differently when he sees Kenneth and Annette outside of her building  
Kenneth has a tight grip on Annette's arm  
Tim asks Annie about it, after he sees Kenneth's death grip on her arm  
Annie says something about oh, he doesn't know his own strength  
it's not that bad really  
he likes to make sure I don't get lost  
Tim's not convinced  
if he could see how hard the grip was from across the street, something is wrong  
he doesn't push her to talk  
but lets her know that he's there, if she needs a safe place to be  
She looks sort of confused the first time he says it. One night a couple of weeks later there's a knock on his door. Its timid.  
Annie has her coat on and - pyjamas? Tim can't tell. It's like midnight.  
She waited until someone else went into the building and followed them up.  
Kenneth had come home drunk with his rugby club mates.

He hasn't hit her, or anything  
They've just frightened her and are also gross ass men

And Kenneth lives on the same floor of the same building as Annie because he wanted her close by and he treats her apartment like an extension of his own.

Tim grabs blankets and pillows and makes up the couch for himself, offering Annie his bed  
but she refuses, says she'll be okay on the couch  
but could he maybe, stay out there a little longer with her?  
Julia Turner  
TIm nods. "Hey, yeah, of course."  
"Would you like some tea?"

Annie nods and curls up on his couch, a position Tim will see her in so many times.  
knees pulled up to her chest, arms wrapped around her knees  
Tim resist the urge to tuck the blankets in around her and goes to get tea for them both  
Kind of wishing his Mum was there. She'd know what to do.  
Tim puts her mug down on the table for her and sits on the floor, leaning his back against the sofa near her bended knees

Honestly, he'll write to her when he's a little more awake  
He sits on the floor so he's not invading her space  
he's always so aware of that  
He has his knees bent up and feet on the floor and his elbows on his knees  
So so aware of not crowding her or making her feel uncomfortable or like he's trying it on

"Does he come back drunk a lot?" He asks quietly  
Just wanting to see if she needs to talk but is afraid of starting the conversation

"Sometimes..." she murmurs, Which means all the time  
"Usually he's alone, though. I can handle that."  
like he might criticise her for leaving  
When he's alone, she can't escape him

Tim shakes his head, "I'll never understand going out and getting plastered. I've had one hang over and that is an experience I'd rather not relive."  
He's trying to keep things at least a little light

Annie giggles softly  
"I got drunk once. At my cousin's house. We got a right telling off the next morning."

"Oh I can imagine that was not fun. Fortunately, if my Mum knew, she didn't tell me off. I would not have been able to hand her voice if she had." Tim makes a good impression of Shelagh's voice telling him off, even if it's a little more heavily accented.

Annie gasps and swats at his arm lightly  
"You be nice to your mother!"  
Her voice is teasing though

"Hey!" He pretends that she hurt his arm, "I love my mother! But she's Scottish and when she's angry it's hard enough to understand her. Trying to understand her while having a hangover and her being angry?!"  
Annie is properly laughing at him now  
"Have you really only been drunk once?"  
She can't imagine it. She used to hear her Father and his friends/associates in the drawing room all night after dinner parties

Tim nods, "I'm honestly not really a fan of it. I can walk into walls fine enough while sober."

Annie snorts a laugh and covers her mouth with her hand  
"Oh Tim."  
She's seen him do it a few times now

Tim laughs and waves his arms about, "lanky and clumsy. Wonderful combination."  
He's glad she's laughing

"Aww." She pats his shoulder consolingly  
"Did - does you Dad drink?" she asks suddenly  
A bit out of left field

Tim shakes his head, "Not really. Maybe wine with dinner, a beer sometimes. He's a doctor, and gets called out on emergencies a lot."  
Annie hums thoughtfully. "Are you taking over the family business?"  
She's thinking like, private practice  
"He's a district GP, in Poplar." Tim explains.  
"Oh!" Annie is surprised "Is that what you want to do?"  
"I would love to, if that's still a viable option when I'm qualified. A lot of it is moving away from house calls. I'm most likely going to set up a surgery in an area like Poplar."  
Tim wants to be like his dad, the kind of doctor people trust. Part of the community.

"That sounds really nice." Annie smiles "Do you - What's Poplar like?"

"Crowded, noisy......home." Tim doesn't really know how to describe it...it's Poplar

Annie is quiet. She knows what people say about Poplar but Tim's always lived there, and he wants to go back when he's practicing. And he talks about it so warmly.

"I grew up there, so I see a different side of it."

"I think that's true of everyone's home."

"Yeah." Tim agrees and they fall into an easy silence

Eventually Annie starts falling asleep and Tim gets to his feet. "You okay?"

Annie nods, "I think we should probably sleep, it's nearly 2 am." She says looking at her watch.

"Alright. Bathrooms down the hall. Shout if you need anything. I'm just in the bedroom."  
Annie is grateful Kenneth probably won't remember anything. She gives Tim a nod and says goodnight before settling down into the blankets piled on the couch.


	3. Pregnant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> chat fic style (because sometimes we're too lazy to fully write things out)

a few weeks later, she shows up in the middle of the night again  
but this time it's because she thinks she's pregnant

oh  
oh gosh  
maybe she doesn't tell him ??  
but she's just sent the test off  
and she's scared, and alone, and Tim just assumed Kenneth is drunk again and les her in

oh gosh, yes  
instead of him taking her to the clinic and asking phyllis  
but she still gives the place she went Tim's address because she doesn't want Kenneth to find the results

she went somewhere else to have it done. got the bus or something. wore a ring

She needs to tell Tim that he'll get some post for her  
but also she just doesn't want to be alone

she's just so scared  
and then when he finds her on the floor after she tells Kenneth he has no idea

I like Tim being with her when she finds out

because it's something they tell Danny when he's older  
Tim was the first person to know

He tells her he got the letter and she goes back to his  
She reads it and just falls against Tim  
Tim is a little confused and puts a careful arm around her shoulders. "Annie?"  
Voice pitched low and careful  
"Positive." She whispers, it's barely a sound really.  
Tim exhales in a big rush and squeezes her shoulders.  
"Do... you want a cuddle?"  
They're standing in the kitchen. He doesn’t know what else to do, but he knew that cuddles might offer at least some comfort. At least that was the usual go to in his family.  
Annie can only nod. Her legs are shaking and she doesn't know if she can keep standing.  
Tim gently helps her over to the couch then pulls her into cuddle against him.  
“I don’t know what to do Tim.” She whispers, and Tim can barely hear her.   
“That’s okay. You don’t have to know yet.” His voice is just as low.


	4. Decisions

Annie and Tim end up falling asleep on the couch together. She only stopped crying because she fell asleep. Tim doesn't have the heart to move her so he stretches out as best he can and falls asleep with her essentially on top of him.   
And then Annie jerks awake a few hours later in a panic. Like, SHIT, how could she be so stupid to fall asleep like this, here. 

Her quick movements wake Tim up and he can see how panicked she is. It's maybe only 3 or 4 am. 

"I need to get home, Kenneth is going to be so mad if he wakes up and I'm not there." Annie can feel her heart pounding. 

"Hey, it's okay. We jus--" Tim starts, worried at how worked up she's getting. 

"It's not okay!" Annie shouts. "I was at his when he passed out, if I'm not there when he wakes up--" 

Tim gets up and stands in front of her, placing his hands on her shoulders, trying to get her to stop pacing and just breathe. "You can just tell him that you went back to yours, or that met a friend for breakfast. It'll be okay." 

Annie flinches a little under Tim's touch but doesn't move.   
Tim makes a mental note of her flinch when he touches her and moves his hands slowly away once she's calmed down enough. 

"It'll be okay," Tim repeats. "He isn't going to wake up for a while. When it gets light, get changed, and go knock for one of your friends to go to breakfast." 

Annie still looks freaked out, and a little panicky (and also a little unsure why Tim isn't making jokes about them having ~slept together that suggest they *should* if she was going to sleep on him like that. What did she expect, a pretty thing like her). She gives him a little nods. "Okay." 

"Do you want to try and get a little more sleep? I can set an alarm for 7." Tim offers. 

Annie takes a step back and shrugs. "I don't know if I'll be able to sleep." 

"I can put the radio on if you want, we can just hang out." Tim hopes that maybe if she's relaxed, she'll be able to get a bit more sleep. 

"You should just go back to sleep Tim. I'll be fine out here." Annie makes her way back over to the couch and sits down at the end furthest from where they had been sleeping. 

Tim doesn't really want to leave her alone, but... He goes to fetch the blanket and puts it down on the arm of the chair and lays it down flat, petting at the wool a little. "Alright, Annie. Just yell if you need anything..." 

Annie looks up and smiles at him, but it looks forced and she isn't looking at him and is sitting all proper on the edge of the chair, her knees pressed tightly together and her hands in her lap , rather than the more relaxed semi-sprawl in the corner of the sofa he'd gotten used to on the occasions she came to visit with her friends.

Tim goes down the hall to his room. And after maybe half an hour of tossing and turning and trying to get comfortable, he grabs another blanket and heads back out to the living room. 

He can see that Annie is still awake, but now she's curled up under the blanket, her head on the arm of the sofa with the pillow. 

Annie looks up when she hears the floorboards squeak. And Tim can see that she's been crying again. 

Tim makes a soft sound. Has maybe subconscious picked up that his father tends to announce his presence when he goes into a room and has echoed it. 

"Oh Annie." He sits with his back to the sofa near her bent knees, the way he did the first time she came to him in the middle of the night. "Are you warm enough?" 

Annie nods. The blanket she's under is one from the nuns, a patchwork of knitted and crocheted squares.   
They sit in silence for a little. Tim leans his head back against the couch and closes his eyes. He's absolutely exhausted but knows he won't sleep while Annie is still awake. 

"I'm scared Tim." Annie says quietly, her voice muffled by the blanket she's trying to let swallow her. 

Tim opens his eyes but doesn't turn to look at her, not wanting to stop her talking if she wants to. 

"I know," Tim murmurs back quietly. He doesn't know what else to say, what to do. He doesn't have a road map for this, so he just stays there. 

"I'm not ready to be a mother." She whispers. She knows she doesn't have to be, that she can give it up for adoption.

"You don't have to be, if you don't want to. There are options." Tim tells her. He thinks of the mother's home that Chummy owns. Or adoptions like Angela's.   
"My parent's have a friend who runs a mother's home."

Annie shakes her head and lets out a little sob "I don't think I could do that. Have a baby and then give it up?"

Tim makes little soothing noises, mostly without realising. "Shh, shh. Alright. There are ... other options, too." 

Annie is quiet for a while. Thinking. She doesn't think she can do that, either, but she feels like she doesn't have any other choice. "No. I need to - tell Kenneth. Ask him." 

Tim sits up on his knees to look at her. He can see she's started shaking a little.   
"You don't have to ask him anything Annie. He's not the one who's pregnant, you are. It's your choice." Tim's voice is so firm, but not loud.  
And Annie is so shocked by it, but it doesn't frighten her. 

"But.. it's. It's his too. He'll have to... keep us." 

Tim shakes his head again. "It will be his decision when he has to carry them. It's your choice." 

Annie is a little startled. That his firm voice didn't frighten her, and at what he's saying. She didn't expect it, somehow. He's expressed some fairly "progressive" views, but as far as Annie knows his parents are quiet tradition. 

"I don't...I don't think I could...end it." She whispers. She knows that's the other option Tim meant. And she really doesn't think she'd be able to do that. It's not the baby's fault, so why should it die?

"Then that is the choice you make." Tim reaches out a hand and places it on her knee. "You don't have to decide anything right now."

She jumps a little under his touch but relaxes into it and sighs, rubbing her face. "Can... can I have a glass of water, please?" 

"Yeah, of course." Tim gets up and goes to the kitchen. Annie is sitting up when he returns, her knees tucked under her.   
Tim hands her the glass and sits next to her, close enough that she can lean on him if she wants to, but not touching her if she doesn't. 

She accepts the glass of water gratefully. She drinks half the glass in one go and wipes her mouth, and then leans her shoulder lightly against Tim's shoulder. 

"Thank you," Annie murmurs quietly, eyes fixed on her knees

"Do you want to talk more about anything?" Tim offers. He wants her to know that he's there for her, to talk to, lean on, cry to. Anything she needs. 

She shakes her head. "No. I think - not for now." 

She just feels a bit blank, at the moment. After all the crying. She's made a decision of sorts - no abortion - but everything else sort of stretches out into the future and she can't see 

Annie ends up falling asleep again for a little, and Tim falls asleep on the other end of the couch.   
The next time she wakes up, she doesn't panic. She sees that Tim is already up and has gotten dressed. 

"Good morning." He gives her a little smile. "Do you want to get breakfast together? Instead of trying to see if someone else is up already?"

She smiles at him a little. "That sounds nice. Can we - I should probably get dressed, first." Her circle are the kind of people who will notice if she's wearing the same things twice in the row, and her clothes are a little wrinkled from sleeping on the couch. Tim made sure he was awake so it's still early - much earlier than probably-hungover Kenneth will be out of bed for. 

"Of course. Do you want me to go to your building with you and wait outside? Or meet me at the cafe?" They usually always end up at the same cafe when they eat together. 

"Can you wait for me? Just in case...." Annie stops herself from finishing. But Tim knows it would have included her being worried about Kenneth being awake already. 

"No problem." he smiles at her, hoping it's an encouraging one. 

Annie gets up and stretches and Tim makes the point of turning his head when he sees that her shirt lifts. Annie catches the movement and is a little startled that he's not watching her.   
She fixes her shirt and folds up the blanket she had used, letting it sit on top of the pillow on the sofa. 

"Ready?" She asks.

She's used to *always* being watched, one way or another. By men, either leering or to make comments later about her, and her friends too, always looking for little flaws and comments they can make later on and she's just generally used to always being judged. Not used to Tim respectfully turning away but also not making a big deal out of being alone with a woman or whatever bullshit. 

Tim nods. "Yep." They walk the short block to her apartment side by side, and Tim leans on the wall outside her apartment when she goes inside to change. He sees one of his friends but that's it - it's like, 7:30 on a Saturday, everyone's asleep. 

Annie doesn't take long to change and she's back down in less than 15 minutes. Tim notices that her hair has been redone as had her make up. He never would have guessed that she'd spent half the night crying.   
Annie gives him a smile when she meets him outside and they walk off towards the cafe in a comfortable silence. 

At the cafe Annie orders tea, without milk. And when Tim gives her a curious look she tells him it's been making her feel ill.

It's one of those moments Tim realises how much labour and effort women put into maintaining their appearance, and the internal lives most people are unaware of. He's used to Shelagh, although while quite reserved at times, he has seen dishevelled, and curled up in Patrick's pyjamas on the couch, and cry. And the midwives in various states of disarray after a long and/or tiring birth 

Tim can't help the little smile and orders his without milk, too. "My Mum was the same." He keeps his voice low, even though the cafe is basically empty apart from a few men in suits reading the paper before work. "It'll wear off."

Yes, and he can only imagine how much time Trixie spends putting herself together XD  
He's caught glimpses of Trixie on girl's nights after a hard conversation, and has also seen her when she leaves. 

Annie smiles a little. Knowing that Tim's mum dealt with the same thing was comforting. At least it was normal. 

"I made a decision last night, or really this morning I guess." Annie says quietly, and pauses when the waitress brings over their tea and takes their food order. 

Tim waits for the waitress to leave and then leans forward a little. "You did?" He wishes he could put his hand on hers. He's picked up a lot of his comfort methods from his Dad and from his Mum and from the nuns, which is a lot of gentle hand touches 

Annie nods. "I'm keeping it. I don't....I can't end it and just the thought of having it and giving it up breaks my heart."  
She smiles at him shyly. "I don't know what's going to happen, I don't know what Kenneth will say....but I want my baby." Her voice is soft.   
But Tim thinks it's the confident she's sounded regarding the pregnancy so far.

Yes. And the most resolute. 

Tim can't help but grin at her. "Whatever happens with Kenneth, I'll be there to help you too. Babies are the best."

Annie can't help but laugh at his cheesy grin. It's the first time she's felt anything close to happy about the prospect of being pregnant/having a baby. 

It takes Annie a few weeks to work up the courage to tell Kenneth. And in that time she spends as little time at home as possible. Hiding out in the library, telling him she needs to study. Tim's usually with her.   
She doesn't tell him, but he makes her feel safe.

She spends a lot of time in the library, because on the few times Kenneth has followed her in there and tried to cause a scene/accuse her of sleeping around/drag her back home the librarians have come over and kicked him out for making too much noise. And Tim tags along/is just there anyway for his own work.

Tim makes her feel safe - he doesn't push her to talk, he doesn't ever try it on with her or act like she owes him anything. And it's nice to be with someone who *knows*. Kenneh is less likely to start something if she has company, too. 

When they go to grab lunch, she doesn't have to explain why she doesn't want certain things. She doesn't have to find an excuse like she does with her other friends. The occasions she has to run to the toilet, she doesn't have to say anything. On the few occasions they're out of an evening with friends, he runs interference so her friends don't query why she's not drinking.

Someone tells Kenneth that they see her with Tim a lot. And that starts some shit. Because Kenneth is all manbeast and possessive. Someone spots Annie and Tim at breakfast in the cafe and then later on in the library, and tells Kenneth. And Kenneth all but locks her in her own apartment and physically escorts her to every lecture.


	5. Telling Kenneth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> CONTENT WARNING: physical abuse

The first day that Annette missed barely registered for Tim, he assumed that she was feeling under the weather. Or was sacrificing one class to work on an assignment for another. But it was the second day in a row that she hadn't been to and he had noticed that Kenneth was not in the class they shared later in the day. It wasn't like Annette to miss more than one day. 

Tim stopped by her flat on his way home that afternoon after classes had finished. He had copied down their assignments for her by asking a few other students he knew she had classes with what was due. So that maybe she wouldn't end up too far behind. As he was approaching her building, he stopped when he saw Kenneth storming out of the door and slamming his car door as he got in. Kenneth sped off without a look back as Tim entered Annette's building. 

Worry was building in the pit of Tim's stomach as he reached the door to Annette's flat. 

He knocked on the door and gently called her name. Hearing her on the other side of the door calmed in a little, but she wasn't coming to open the door. 

"Come on Annette, it's just me, Tim." He knocked a little harder. "I know where you keep your spare key, I'm coming in." Tim swore he could hear muffled crying. And he couldn't just stay out in the hall. Reaching up to the top of the door frame, he felt around for the key that he kept telling her should be hidden better. 

Tim found the key and once the door was open he saw his friend curled up on her couch, her arms wrapped around her knees, with her head down. 

"Go away Tim. I didn't answer for a reason." She mumbled, not lifting her head. 

"Not a chance." Tim replied, closing the door behind him and setting his school bag on the floor. "I'll boil the kettle for tea and you tell me why I'm going to be punching Kenneth." 

Tim knew his way around Annette's kitchen almost as well as he knew his. They'd spent many late nights working on projects and studying together. Much to the ire of Kenneth, who more than once had accused her of cheating on him with Tim. He set about making tea while keeping his ears focused on Annette, ready to comfort her if she started crying.   
With the tea made and poured into cups, Tim returned to the living room and set both cups on the table before sitting next to Annette. 

Annette didn't look up but she leaned over and nearly put herself on Tim's lap, resting her head on his shoulder. Tim put his arm around her and just let her stay like that, not wanting to push her. He felt her start to shake against him. 

"Annie," Tim started slowly. "Talk to me, what's wrong?" 

Tim felt more than heard her say something into his shoulder and start sobbing. Worry filling him even more, Tim moved his hand up and down her back, trying to help her calm down. 

Annette took a deep breath and sat up a little, looking at Tim. His heart broke for his friend, her eyes were red and tears were still streaming down her face. And he thought he saw the purpling of a bruise on the side of her face. Tim reached out and touched her chin, making her move her head so he could see better. 

Anger filled him when he saw that it indeed was a bruise starting to form.   
"Did Kenneth do this?" He tried not to let the anger show in his voice. 

Annette nodded. "I told him I'm pregnant." She whispered, lowering her gaze. "And he told me to get rid of it." Trying to steady her breathing she rested her head on Tim's shoulder again, not wanting to look up and see judgement on his face. "I told him I wouldn’t. He grabbed my arm, sand said that he’d do it for me then and…….. punched me in the stomach before smacking me across the face.”

Tim had to swallow his anger again. He could feel Annette shaking against him. He has to actively try not to shake with the rage building up in him. What kind of coward tries to beat a woman into a miscarriage? 

"I'm going to make you something to eat. And we'll go from there. One step at a time, yeah?" Tim moved to stand up. 

Annette nodded and let him stand, she reached out and took the now cold tea he had made earlier. She stared into the cup rather than drinking it while Tim started moving around her kitchen again. 

In the kitchen, Tim grabbed Annette's apron off the hook by the pantry and tied it around his waist. It may have been pink with frills, but at least it would keep his trousers clean. He was not the cleanest cook. He rifled through her refrigerator and cabinets for some sort of comfort food. A box of pancake mix called out to him. His mother would be horrified, but breakfast foods could be enjoyed at any time of day. 

Busy with his cooking, he didn't notice Annette get up and join him in the kitchen. She leaned against the doorframe and watched him. 

"Are...are you wearing my apron and making pancakes at nearly seven in the evening?" She asked, a smile ghosting her face for the first time in almost a week. 

"Yes I am." Tim said confidently. "Isn't pink my color?" He laughed and turned around to face her, spatula in hand. 

"Oh definitely." Annette laughed back, taking in the sight of her best friend donning a frilly pink apron. 

They fell silent again as Tim turned back to the stove top. Tim flipped the last of the pancakes on to the serving plate and took it over to the dining table. Annette se the table and sat down with him. The pair eat in relative silence.

“Tim?” Annette looked over at him. “Thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me Annette, what are friends for?” Tim smiled and reached out to place his hand on her arm. 

“I don’t know how many friends I’ll have left after word gets out. Most everyone I know is because of Kenneth. I don’t really have friends of my own, other than you.” The admission broke Tim’s heart even more. Annette was always so vibrant when they were together, loved debating in class, was kind and honest. How did she not have friends? But then again, he knew Kenneth’s type, he’d seen enough of them growing up. Men who isolated their wives and treated them poorly. Some even going as far as abusing them. And Tim was now convinced that this was not the first time Kenneth had raised his hand to Annette. 

“Well you have me, and I’ll be here for whatever you need. And honestly, I’d feel better if you weren’t here alone tonight. Who knows if that neanderthal will come back.” Tim clenched his fist under the table, half wanting Kenneth to show back up. He still really wanted to deck him, hard. “You should pack some clothes for a few days. Come stay with me. He doesn’t know where I live, you’ll be safe.”

“Tim, I can’t ask you to do that.” 

“You’re not asking, and it’s not an offer, it’s a demand. As your closest friend, I demand you come stay with me so he can’t hurt you again.” Tim puffed out his chest in imitation of brute force. 

“Oh making demands Mr. Turner?” Laughed Annette. “Well I guess I can’t say no to that.”

“You’re right, you can’t. Now go get your stuff, I’ll clean up here.”

At Tim’s flat, he tries to talk her into taking his bed, and he’d be on the couch. But she won’t let him. The couch is fine. Tim gathers up extra pillows and blankets to cover the sofa and make it at least halfway comfortable for sleeping. Once he’s got everything set and Annie has changed into pajamas she curls up on one end of the couch. 

“Tim? Can you stay out here with me for a little?” Annie’s voice is small. 

“Yeah, of course.” Tim sits down on the other end. “You okay?” He’s worried, she’s been mostly quiet since they arrived. 

“Not really. I’m scared.” Annie sniffs and presses her hands against her eyes. She shakes her head as if trying to get rid of her thoughts. “What if he hurt the baby when he punched me?”

“Have you had any bleeding?” Tim asks.   
“No,” Annie shakes her head.  
“That’s good then.” Tim tries giving her a grin and hoping it comes off as optimistic. “Come here a minute.” He opens his arms. Annie scootches across the couch and curls up against him.

Tim moves to put his hand on Annie’s stomach. “May I?” Annie nods a little and Tim feels it more than sees it. He places his hand low on her belly. “Did he hit you down here?” 

Annie shakes her head. “No, higher.” 

Tim moves his hand up until he feels her nod. 

“Baby should be okay.” He tells her quietly and puts his hand back on her lower stomach. “Keep an eye out if you start bleeding, or if you start cramping.”


	6. Telling Her Parents

It's nearly two weeks after that that Annette figures she should probably tell her parents. And she doesn't know if she wants Tim to come with her or not.

She's decided not to ask him until the night before she's supposed to go when he's cooking them dinner again. They met up after classes but some of Kenneth's goons were in the pub and she just couldn't face it.   
Tim tells her that of course he'll go. Says he can probably borrow his father's car so they won't have to take a bus.   
She's so relieved that he said he'll go. She's terrified and even knowing he'll be there, she can hardly eat. He doesn't pressure her to talk about it, which she appreciates, but he can tell something is bothering her. 

"What if they tell me to get rid of it too?" Any time she talks about the baby now, her hand is on her belly. Tim thinks it's the cutest thing (honestly most things she does he finds cute).

Tim is quiet for a while. "We work something out. Whatever you want to do." He collects the plates into a neat pile and sits next to her, their shoulders pressed together. "If they don't want to help... my parents will."   
“How can you be so sure? They don’t even know me.”  
"Because I know them." He turns to her but she won't look at him. "No matter what, you're not alone in any decision you make." He emphasized that it was her decision. 

She nods. "Okay." She still won't look at him. If - if - her own family turns her away she can't imagine why his would help her, even if they do seem to have raised an unusually kind son. Who'd want to be associated with a pregnant single women if they didn't have to be. 

Tim takes her to her parents the next day. And gives her a tight hug before they get to the door.   
"No matter what happens today, everything will be alright."   
Annette hugs him back and hopes that he's right. Her stomach is in knots and she has to concentrate on not shaking. 

Annette's middle sister, Margaret, greets them at the door and hugs Annette, happy to see her for the first time since she went to school. Her sister pulls Annette and by extension Tim inside out of the cold.

Tim had intended to wait outside while she spoke to her family and lets Margaret tug him inside when Annie gives him a little nod. Janie sticks her head around the door to see what the fuss is about and sees its Annie and runs to hugs her. 

"Hello, girls. This is Tim. He gave me a lift. Are Mum and Dad in?" 

Janie hugs Annette hard, tucking her head under her sister's chin, just trying to be as close as possible. Janie missed Annette the most out of the two. 

"Mom is at the market, she should be back soon. Dad is in the den." Margaret kind of just ignores Tim. But Janie doesn't. She lets go of Annette and holds her hand out to Tim. 

Annie is looking nervously further into the house. "I think we should go through to the living room... and wait for Mum..." She smiles at her sisters. "I brought you some presents!" like some sweets and a few bits of jewellery from shops 

Annie tries to distract herself from her nerves by talking with Janie. Margaret went to go tell their dad that Annette came over. Janie chats with her happily. Wanting to know all about what she's learning and doing and the people she knows and she just wants to know everything. Margaret comes back in and joins the conversation with little interest.   
"How's Kenneth doing?" Margaret's voice is full of acid.   
"Well I suppose. I haven't spoken to him in a while." Annette answers her quietly. Not wanting to talk about it yet.   
Their dad comes in, which is a relief to Annette, it stops Margaret from asking anything else. 

They make small talk about her studies and her friends and what the food's like and if she's gotten to know anyone important and then her father asks about Tim so Tim sort of carries the conversation a bit, talking about how did Dad was a doctor and his Mum is a nurse/midwife and he was inspired to so into medicine to help ... he sees her father go from polite interest to looking down his nose when he mentions Poplar.

Annette's mother comes in. "George? Who's the car ..." she stops when she sees the group in the living room. 

Tim is nothing but polite and tries to be as friendly as possible. He doesn't want to do anything that would negatively affect Annette. 

Her mom is fake polite but still excited to see her, and Tim picks up on that. Annette gets up to go help her mother bring in the bags.   
"Mum, hi. The car is my friend Tim's. He gave me a ride so I didn't have to take the bus."

It took all of his long practice and channeling his Auntie Trixie's polite smile. She said it was the greatest weapon anyone could have when it comes to working with the public and with other people. But Annie is more important. 

Tim raises a hand in a greeting and stands to greet her. "Hello, Mrs. Thompson. I was happy to help." 

Annette helps her mother put the groceries away before going back into the living room. The tension is thick, Tim looks like he's trying too hard to not look uncomfortable, and George is just staring him down. His glare breaks when Annette and her mother come back in.   
Tim shifts a little to make more room between him and Margaret on the couch, and Annette sits next to him.   
Taking a deep breath Annette starts "I actually came over today to tell you something."  
Tim moves his hand just a little bit so he's touching the side of her leg, as if he could lend her strength through a small touch.   
"Mum....Daddy....I'm going to have a baby." She barely gets the words out, her throat starting to close up. 

There's dead silence for a too-long stretch of seconds and then Mr and Mrs Thompson are both shouting at the same time, Ruth at Annie and George starts towards Tim all "How DARE you!" and it's just chaos for a while. Annie has her arms protectively around her stomach again and is cowering and Tim is resolutely trying not to back down and/or further provoke Mr. Thompson. 

"It's not Tim's!" she shouts at her father, finally. "It's not his! He's just helping me! Because - because the father said I should get rid of it."

Annie's arms stay wrapped around her middle. She's standing now, wanting to put herself between her father and Tim. Tim tugs on the back of her shirt, trying to get her to sit back down. He can hold his own. She sighs and drops back down beside him.   
"Jane, Margaret, go to your rooms. We want to talk to your sister alone." Mr. Thompson's voice is back to a normal volume. George's face is red and he's pacing.   
Janie looks at Annie, worry on her face, Margaret looks disgusted. Janie gives Annie a quick hug before following Margaret upstairs. She knows better than to argue. 

Janie also knows which boards on the landing creak so she can spy/eavesdrop. 

Tim settles himself more on the sofa, without Margaret sitting there too, but close enough to offer support if Annie looks like she needs it. Annie is looking up at her parents defiantly still. She takes a shaky breath. "I'm not getting rid of it." 

Her mother waves her off with her hand. "Of course you are. There's no way you're going to be able to raise a child."

Annette feels her mother's words hit her chest as if it had been a punch. Tears were starting to burn her eyes. 

"I'm sure we can find you a place to go to have it, and they'll deal with what --"

"I'm keeping my baby." Annette's voice is stronger now, she sits up a little straighter. "And that's the same thing I told Kenneth after he hit me. If his fists won't change my mind, your words won't either." Annette takes a deep breath trying not to show the shaking she felt inside. "I'm doing this with or without your help."

Tim is so proud of her. He reaches his hand out to rub her back a little. 

She looks at him and grins through her tears but it's a defiant grin. She leans into the touch a little bit and takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. Her mother and father looks like they're working up to argue with her some more but she shakes her head. 

"I'm not arguing with you. This baby is mine. If that's all you have to say, we'll be going now. Please give Margaret and Janie my love." Her arms are still protectively around her stomach. 

As she gets to the door she hears her father's parting words and it takes everything in her not to collapse right there.   
"If you keep that thing, you are not welcome in this house."

Tim gets her to the car and before she gets in she he wraps his arms around her and hugs her tight. She leans into him and starts to cry. 

He rocks her gently and rubs her back and sings quietly to her while she cries against him. He waits until she's quieted a little to help her into the car and then get into the driver's side. He grips the steering wheel tightly. "I think ... we should tell my parents. If only because Mum is a midwife..." 

 

Annette just nods, not really hearing him but recognizing that he was expecting an answer.   
Tim starts the car and heads towards his parents' home. In times of crisis the Turner home was the best place to be. Warm people and warm food.


	7. First Time in Poplar

The ride was nearly silent, save for the odd gasp or sob from Annie. When they get to Shelagh and Patrick's Annette looks a little confused, she's not familiar with her surroundings.   
"Where are we?" She asks Tim as they get out of the car.   
"My parents'." He sees her face go white. "Don't worry. Mum will be thrilled to meet you. Dad might still be doing rounds"

Warm people, warm food, warm house. His sisters. His parents. It's safe, there. 

Tim goes and knocks on the door while Annie stays in the car. She's exhausted and still crying and is terrified of the thought of another round with some parents. When Shelagh opens the door her face lights up at the unexpected visit but then takes one look at him and tugs him into a tight hug. "Oh Timothy, love. What's wrong." 

"Its Annie. She, uh. Can we come in? She's had a bit of a shock..." He can feel his own resolve cracking a little. His Mum is here. He doesn't have to be the strong one for a little while 

"Of course, of course. It's cold out let's get you both inside." Tim goes and opens the door for Annie. She looks towards the door and sees Shelagh standing there.   
"Tim... I don't know what if-?" Annette slowly gets out of the car. 

"Mum will want to know what's going on. But she won't react anything like your parents." Tim assures her as he leads her to the door. 

Shelagh smiles warmly when Tim leads Annette over to the house, a hand on her arm. "Hello, dear. It's lovely to meet you. Let's get you warmed up and you both some tea." She rubs Annette's arm and ushers them both in. "Patrick will be home soon." 

Angela comes running and cheers when she sees him. "Tim!!" She barrels into his legs and peers around him at Annette. "Who's that?" 

Tim picks her up and swears she's grown so much, but she's still not to big to pick up.   
"This is my friend Annette. She's had a really bad day, do you think you and Teddy could cheer her up?"   
Annette smiles seeing him interact with his little sister. Angela looks at Annette, almost like she's sizing her up before nodding and wiggling out of Tim's hold.   
Angela stands in front of Annette and holds out her hand "Hello, my name is Angela. It's nice to meet you." Annette chuckles and crouches down to Angela's height and takes her hand.   
"It's very nice to meet you as well. Your brother has told me so much about you."

Angela looks at her critically. "You're pretty." She takes Annie's hand and tugs on it a little. "Teddy is this way. He's my little brother." Annie goes with her after an encouraging nod and a smile from Shelagh and Tim. Tim looks so fond and loving as he watches Angela talk to Annie and it makes her heart hurt a little bit. 

Shelagh looks at Tim and pulls him into another hug. "What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost." She brushes his hair back from his face. 

Tim sits down hard on the sofa, finally letting his emotions show, Shelagh noticed tears in his eyes. Sitting down next to him, Shelagh leans close. "What's wrong?'

"Annie....Annie is pregnant." Tim sighs. "I went with her today when she told her parents. And Mum....it was horrible. They were so horrible to her." Shelagh wraps her arms around Tim and pulls him to her. 

"Oh Timmy. People can be so harsh." Shelagh strokes his hair. 

He nods and stays with his face pressed against her shoulder and wraps her arms around her. "I didn't know what to do now. So I came here. Mum, they told her they didn't want to see her again." He looks up at her, expression helpless. 

Annie appears in the doorways and watches them quietly until Angela and Teddy tug on her hands and lead her over to the sofa. Angela climbs into Tim's lap and hugs him tightly too. That's what you do when someone is upset. Shelagh pats the sofa next to her. "It's alright, Annie. Come and sit down." Angela clambers into her lap as soon as she sits down. 

Angela wraps her arms around Annie's neck and sits on her lap sideways, facing her Mum and Tim. Teddy is trying his hardest to climb up onto Shelagh's lap. Shelagh laughs a little and picks the toddler up and letting him settle on her lap. 

Annette watches Shelagh over the top of Angela's head. Waiting for her to say something, anything. 

Shelagh makes sure Teddy is settled and then turns to Annie and touches her hand, gently. "Annette." She squeezes her hand gently. "Tim said you haven't had a very good day." It's her nurse voice. 

Teddy and Angela are quiet. They can tell something is wrong. They hold on a little tighter to Annie and Shelagh. Tim is just leaning against Shelagh still, watching carefully and smiling at Annie when she looks over at him. 

"I'm... I'm pregnant," Annie finally tells her in a whisper. 

"A baby is a wonderful thing, even under circumstances such as these, as I assume by your hesitation you are unmarried." Shelagh pressed a kiss to Teddy's head. "And you will always be welcome in our home." She turns to Tim. "Timothy dear, can you go make some tea while Annette and I chat for a little? Maybe get these two to help?" She gestures to Angela and Teddy with her head. 

Tim nods and stands up, Teddy follows him willingly but Angela stays rooted to her spot on Annie's lap. 

"Come on, Angela," Tim says. "It's okay. Annette will be safe with Mummy, hmm? Let's make her some nice tea." He holds his arms out to her. 

Annette has teared up again at Shelagh saying she'll always be welcome and moves her hand to grip Shelagh's fingers back. It feels like she's about to shake apart from just this bare minimum of kindness and the warmth of the little body in her lap, refusing to move away. "Go on little one," Annette prompts gently. "Go with Tim. Make sure he gives me two sugars, okay?" She kisses her hair.   
Angela reluctantly leaves Annette's lap and follows Tim to the kitchen. Without Angela on her lap, Annette wraps her arms around her middle again, resisting the urge to pull her knees up to her chest. 

"No one else has said anything kind about this baby, well other than Tim." Annette finds it hard to meet Shelagh's eyes. "My parents and the father....they want me to get rid of it. I thought Kenneth was going to beat me until I lost it." 

Shelagh gasps softly. "Oh my dear. I'm sorry. Your baby is so precious. And so are you." Shelagh watches her and then makes a soft noise. "May I give you a hug, Annette?" She holds her arms open to her. 

Annette nods and lets Shelagh wrap her arms around her, and hugs her back. The sob that comes out of Annette startles them both but just makes Shelagh hug her tighter. 

The door opens and Patrick comes in the house to see his wife hugging a girl he doesn't know on the couch. A small blonde flash runs by them and Angela runs into his legs.   
"Hi Daddy! Timmy is here and he brought his friend Annette over because she's sad and Mummy gives the best hugs when you're sad." The little girl is talking a mile a minute before her father can even take his coat off. 

Patrick catches Shelagh's eyes over Annette's shoulder and nods, sweeping Angela up before he's got his coat of properly. "Oh, little one? I think that means tea. And maybe some hot chocolate for you for being such a good girl. Mummy's hugs are the best." He carries Angela into the kitchen and pulls Tim into a quick arms-around-the-shoulders hug and helps the children set the tea tray to give Shelagh and Annette time to compose themselves. 

He knocks on the doorway into the living room carefully. "We come baring tea and biscuits." Shelagh still has her arm around Annette but they're sitting up and Annette has wipes her eyes 

The love that fills the room around her while the Turner family interacts with each other amazes Annette. Shelagh hands Annette a cup before taking one for herself.   
Tim takes a cup to the table for Angela. "I was thinking hot chocolate would be perfect for Ang too. What do you think?" He asked his sister.

"Thank you Timmy!" She says happily and sits at the table to drink it. 

Tim goes back to the living room and sit on Annette's other side.   
"Dad, this is my friend Annette. Annette, this is my dad."

Annette just watches them a bit overwhelmed and disbelieving, just holding the tea cup between her hands. Teddy has scrambled up into his father's lap and Patrick is holding him there, kissing his hair a few times and letting him steal sips of his own tea and bites of his biscuit. 

"Nice to meet you, Sir," Annette says quietly with a small smile. 

Patrick holds a hand out to shake. "Hello Annette. It's nice to meet you too. Call me Patrick." 

Annette shakes his hand before setting her tea cup back down. "Thank you, both of you for welcoming me into your home." Annette looks over at Tim. Tim reaches out and pulls her to him and kisses the side of her head. 

"Any friend of Tim's is always welcome here." Patrick said.   
Annette smiles at him and then looks nervously at Shelagh. She's not sure if Patrick heard what they were saying. 

Shelagh smiles at her reassuringly. "Patrick's right. You will always be welcome here." She looks at the clock on them mantle piece. "It's getting quite late. I'm sure Patrick will be happy to drive you both home, or we can find room for you to stay." She pats Annette's hand again. "Have you eaten?" Shelagh is in full take care mode. 

Teddy is starting to blink sleepily on Patrick's lap. All curled up 

"Not since this morning, and even then I was too anxious to eat much." Annette admits. 

"That's settled then. I'll make you and Tim something to eat real quick and you'll spend the night. You take Tim's bed, he'll be fine with the couch." Shelagh stood up and shot Tim a teasing look almost daring him to say something about not wanting the couch.   
Patrick stands and says he's going to take Teddy up to bed. 

"Oh, I don't want to intrude." Annette tries but is stopped by Tim.

"She's made up her mind and there's no stopping her." 

"Darn right." Shelagh says as she walks back to the kitchen. 

Annette leans into Tim and looks up at him, "Thank you so much for bringing me here."

Tim nudges her with his shoulder and leaves their shoulders pressed together. "It was at least a little bit selfish. Here is always the best place to be when you're upset. Besides, Mum's claimed you now." 

Shelagh comes back out of the kitchen wearing her apron to ask Annette what they want and she looks up and starts giggling, turning to muffle her laughter against Tim's shoulder. Tim rolls his eyes but he's laughing along, too. Shelagh looks a little bemused but laughs, too. "Alright, you two, I want that story when I get back. Don't tell your father before I get there!" she demands, teasingly, before going back into the kitchen. 

Shelagh ends up just putting together some sandwiches, figuring after the day the two of them had, they'd not want anything too heavy. As she's making them, she thinks about how parents could turn their back on their child. It hurts deep in her chest, that this sweet girl has been turned out by her family. And it lights a rage in her that the father of her child thought that his fists would solve the problem he saw. She just wanted to bring this girl into her home and keep her. And she saw that Tim already had. 

Shelagh brings the sandwiches into them and then sits down. "Now, you two, tell me why my apron is so funny," although her eyes are twinkling behind her glasses. 

"Oh, it's nothing, really!" Annette says, but is giggling a bit again. "Only, when I told Tim... he made me breakfast...at seven at night…. and he put on my apron. But it's pink and frilly and it just seemed like the funniest thing in the world." 

Shelagh looks at him. "I think that's his birthday present sorted then." 

"Mum!" Tim protest, but he's laughing. When Patrick comes back from getting Teddy down he just sits in the arm chair opposite them and is mostly quiet, although he laughs and joins in teasing Shelagh and he tells her a few things from his rounds, like Mrs Smith seems to be doing better and Sandra sends her love, that kind of thing 

Angela comes into the living room already in her night dress and asks if Annette can read her a story.   
Annette looks to Shelagh for direction and Shelagh agrees that it's a great idea. And she just warns Annette about squirrel nutkin. 

While Annette is upstairs with Angela, Patrick takes the opportunity to start the questions. 

Shelagh sighs and smiles sadly. She takes Tim's hand in hers again and squeezes gently. "She's pregnant. The father isn't in the picture anymore. He hit her. They went to tell her parents. They told her not to come back." Shelagh's voice is quiet, and Patrick can hear the banked fury in her voice  
Patrick sits there for a moment in shocked silence.  
"She's my best friend, Dad. I didn't know what else to do after we left her parent's. They were so horrible to her"

Patrick moves to sit next to him on the sofa and pulls him into a tight hug. "I'm so proud of you. Of course she's always welcome here. Anything we can do to help."

"I said I'd marry her." Tim says quietly, looking down at his hands.

"Oh Tim." Shelagh kisses his hair. "What did she say?"

"That we both deserve better. She doesn't want me to resent her. Doesn't want to be an obligation. And I mean, I get it. And I told her that no matter what, I'll still be there for her."

"And so will we," Patrick replies, voice firm and purposeful. "Always."  
Shelagh nods and squeezes his shoulders. "I'll go and see if I have a nightgown she can borrow."

Shelagh gets up and goes upstairs leaving Patrick and Tim alone.

Tim sighs and lies down in Patrick's lap for the first time in a few years. It's just... Comforting

Patrick runs his hand through Tim's hair. "I am proud of you son"

Tim looks up at him. He looks so young. "You are?"

"Of course I am. You are sticking by your friend in an incredibly difficult situation."  
"Being willing to raise a child as your own, that's commendable Timothy. And I'm very proud of you."  
Upstairs, Shelagh was leaning against the door frame to watch Annette and Angela.

Angela is almost asleep. She's holding Annette's hand as she falls asleep, making a few little noises as she blinks slowly and drops off. Annette is just... watching and smiling

Annette sees Shelagh in the doorway and stands up slowly so she doesn't wake Angela.  
"Your children are absolutely precious." Annette said quietly.  
"Thank you." Shelagh smiles. "Come on, I should have a nightgown that will fit you and I can show you Tim's room."

"Oh, no, I don't want to put you to any trouble..." Annette says anxious and follows her out of the room

"Nonsense." Shelagh teasingly scolds her. "You're no trouble at all."

Annette blushes and follows her and stands in the doorway of the bedroom and gasps when Shelagh opens her closet. "Oh Mrs Turner! Your dresses..."

Shelagh smiles "A friend who owns a shop in Poplar makes wonderful dresses." Going through her dresser she pulls out a nightgown that would most likely fit Annette. Even if it was a little short seeing as there was a good 5 inches different in their height.  
Annette takes it from her carefully and runs her fingers over the material. "Thank you so much, Mrs Turner. You've been too kind."

"Please, call me Shelagh. You're a friend of Tim's so you're part of the family. Tim's room is just down the hall."

She blushes and nods. "Thank you, Shelagh." She pushes the door open to Tim's room and looks around. Curious

She walks around the room, and smiles at the things Tim has collected over his life.   
"Shelagh? I'm scared."

She goes over to take her hands. "I was, too. And you have so much to worry about. It's okay to be scared."  
"But you'll be okay. You have Tim, and us. I can set you up for clinic, if you need?"

"You were scared?" Annette can hardly believe someone as together as Shelagh would be scared. "And that would be wonderful. Tim’s told me about it.”

“Yes, I was scared. Scared about what might go wrong... how I would cope ... I was older than the average when I had my first. And a little scared what people was think - I used to be a nun." Shelagh tells her.

Annette's eyes nearly pop out of her head. "I always thought Tim was joking about that." She sits down on the bed, the nightgown still in her hands.  
Shelagh laughs. "he does like to joke about it. But yes, I was a nun. And I stopped being a nun because I met Patrick. God wanted another life for me."  
"And I loved them - Patrick and Timothy."

"I can see how much you love them, and how much they love you. Your family is so warm. I wish my parents were half as accepting as you are."

Shelagh smiles sadly. "I wish they were, too. Its hard work, to build a family this warm... but it's worth it. It ... we're lucky to have what we have."

Shelagh sits down next to her, "All you can do is hope, and pray, that some day, they'll come around and see how precious your child is."

Annette leans into her shoulder. "I hope so."  
She sighs and tries not to cry "I don't think they really will though. I've never seen them as mad as they were."

Shelagh is quiet. "Sometimes anger burns brightly at fades. Or a baby puts it out...Either way. You're not alone. The last time I saw my parents they had shouted at me for wanting to join the Order."  
"Really? Why would that have been a bad thing? Wouldn't they be proud of you for devoting your life to God?"  
"You'd think," Shelagh says with a smile. "But they wanted to be able to tell their friends, this is my daughter and her respectable husband. Midwifery wasn't exactly the most respectable career at the time."

"My parents wanted that too. They thought Kenneth was respectable. I thought he was too at first. " Annette shakes her head to clear the thoughts. "Tim's told me that everyone in Poplar respects the midwives and nurses more than than they do the hospital doctors"

"That's very true. But my parents were not very supportive, especially since it involved moving to a different country."  
Shelagh joins her on Tim's bed. "I know it is not the same. But I lost my parents young due to a decision they didn't agree with."

Annette smiles. "Thank you. It's good to know I'm not on my own. It kind of feels like that ..."  
Shelagh pats Annette on the leg. " Just remember that you're not. You are always welcome here if you need to talk. Now let's go make sure Patrick and Tim haven't fallen asleep on the couch."

Annette laughs softly and nods. "Okay."  
Tim is still lying with his head in Patrick's lap when they come downstairs and he doesn't move  
Patrik is carding his fingers through his hair and looks up with a soft smile  
"Hello, girls."  
Annette is struck by how Tim, an adult. A male adult. Is lying with his head in his father's lap.  
Yes. And Patrick's easy affection. The he's being allowed to act like this - like it might even be actively encouraged  
He's not being scolded to man up, or to stop embarrassing them, or to stop being so childish, whatever bullshit she might have expected in this situation  
Shelagh leads Annette over to the other sofa. "Do you need to be back for a certain time tomorrow? I'd like to get Annette signed up for clinic."  
Tim sits up and shakes his head. "No, I have a class in the late morning that won't miss me if I'm not there."  
Shelagh gives him a look of slight disapproval but he just shrugs at her. "it's not a core class and I haven't gotten anything lower than an A on any test."  
"I have a late afternoon class. But can miss it as well. This is more important than a degree I won't be getting." Annette tells them. She realizes it's pessimistic. But it's true  
Patrick frowns and opens his mouth but stops when Shelagh shakes his head. Annette doesn't need to hear his rants about how unfair academia is to young women, etc. etc.  
Not right now, anyway  
"Perfect. I'm sure we can freshen your dress up a little in the morning too, Annette."  
"Patrick, why don't we go on upstairs for the evening and let these two have space to talk." Shelagh starts back over to the stairs.  
Patrick scoffs playfully and gets up to follow Shelagh, leaning into her and kissing the top of her head when he reaches her. It's such a familiar gesture to Tim he barely even blinks.  
"Goodnight. Annette, please help yourself to anything you might need."  
"Thank you." Annette says quietly   
"g'night mum, dad. Love you." Tim calls after them as they head upstairs.   
A returned chorus of I love you is heard.  
Tim turns to talk to Annette on the sofa and finds her looking shocked. She has never heard her family shouting I love yous like that, except maybe for Janie to her  
"Tim..... Your family is amazing. I can't thank you enough for bringing me here.". Annette looks up at him, tears in her eyes.  
God, she has cried so much today  
Tim pulls her into a tight hug. "Yeah, they're pretty awesome. I knew they would be. I'm so lucky."  
He can still sort of remember what it was like after his Mum died and before Shelagh joined them

"It took them awhile to find each other. And admit that they loved each other. That took even longer. But they're happy. And love each other. And they love me, and my siblings."  
Annette doesn't move from his hug, so they stay like that. It's comforting. 

"I don't know if my parents love each other. Maybe they did once. But they've never been like that. So in sync with the other."

"It took time," Tim says quietly. "They fought. Sometimes things are tense. But... they talk about it. And they never doubt they love each other. Or me."  
Annette sits back against the couch and places her hand on her belly. "That's what I want for my baby. I never want him, or her, to feel like I don't love them."  
"They will always know. If you tell them, they'll know." He puts his hand on her knee  
She wipes her eyes with the back of her hand. "I'm scared that I don't know how to do this. And and your mom is wonderful and she said she help if I have questions. But I don't want to be a burd-" Tim stops her before she can finish.  
"I've already told you, Mum has taken you in. There is no way Shelagh Turner is going to let you do any of this alone. You're hers now. And she's stubborn. I wouldn't argue with her."  
Tim laughs at the look on Annette's face. She's still not really getting what it means that she's now Shelagh's.  
"Who do you think taught me to throw a punch? Or cook? Mum had adopted me and Dad long before they realised they loved each other. She takes care of those she thinks of as hers."  
"She told me that she left the order because she loved you and your dad. That God had a different plan for her. I'm so glad she did. Because as sure as I am that you would have been wonderful no matter what, I can see her influence in you." 

In that moment so many things rush through Annette's mind. Her feelings for Tim are deeper than they should be. She's scolding herself for turning down his proposal, he'd be a wonderful and loving husband and father.   
And she really wants to kiss him. But she cant. And she's not sure if these feelings are real or because of the situation.  
Maybe theyre just because he's being so kind and she's so frightened and lonely feelings  
Tim grins. He looks pleased. "I'm glad. I'm glad I remind people of her. I'm glad people will see me as her son."  
Tim tells her about when he had polio and how she wasn't allowed to stay with him because she wasn't his mother, and not yet married to his Dad.  
Annette can't imagine how much that had to have hurt. Not just Tim but Shelagh too.  
As soon as he was conscious and could talk he asked for her.

"Your mum gives me hope that maybe I'll find someone who loves my child as much as she loves you."  
She doesn't realize that she's already found him.  
"Of course you will."  
"There's so much love in the world just waiting for somewhere to go."

 

The next morning, Annette is woken up my little fingers poking her cheek. She wakes up to see Angela standing by the bed.   
"Mummy said to see if you wanted breakfast." Angela explains. "She made pancakes!"  
"Pancakes?! Then I better get downstairs huh?" Annette sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.   
Angela still stood there bouncing on her toes waiting for Annette.   
"How about I meet you downstairs? Make sure Tim saves me some pancakes."  
"Okay!" Angela runs off. 

Annette is a little overwhelmed by Angela but it's nice. She gets dressed and tries to smooth out her clothes as much as she can and freshens up in the bathroom before going downstairs. Patrick is just about to leave and he and Tim are discussing something in the recent lancet. She hesitates on the threshold - it feels so comfortable and warm and familiar, she doesn't what to intrude 

Tim looks up and beckons her over. "Mum's made pancakes." He motions to the plate waiting for her on the table.   
Annette walks over to the open seat beside Tim and sits down. "Angela told me, she was very excited about them."   
Shelagh brings over the last stack of pancakes and sits down on Patrick's other side. Annette looks around while she's eating, and is again overwhelmed by it all. The family sitting down to eat together, with Angela and Teddy sitting at a little table that was their height. And Teddy ending up with more food on the floor than actually in his mouth. 

The most prominent feeling that is hitting her is how right this feels. And not for the first time she wonders if she should have said yes to his proposal. 

If they're this welcoming to her when she's just Tim's friend, and Tim's friend who's pregnant out of wedlock... And he's so lovely. So incredibly sweet, and she already loves his smile, it wouldn't be a terrible life, even if she is still trying to deny *how much* she loves him. 

As soon as they've finished Shelagh collects up the plates and waves Annette back into her seat when she tries to get up to help. Shelagh finishes tidying and pulls her apron off, hanging it up on the hook like Tim does in his apartment. 

Angela comes over once she's been cleaned up and puts her head in Annette's lap. "Will you come back?" she asks, big eyes and a little bit of a pout. Their babysitter will be here soon (they're a bit of a handful) and she knows Annette will be going home - Shelagh told her when she woke up to forestall any tantrums later. "I will miss you." 

Annette plays with Angela's hair. "I'll miss you too Angela. And of course I'll be back."  
Angela wraps her arms around Annette happily. "Next time we can read more stories and play and you should come spend Christmas with us!"   
"Oh I don't--" Annette's not sure how to proceed. She doesn't want to intrude on their holiday.   
"You would be more than welcome dear. We have Christmas dinner at Nonnatus House. It's quite festive." Shelagh assures her. 

Tim's whole face lights up and then get sly. "Are you going to spike the trifle again, Mum?"   
"I didn't spike it!" Shelagh protests, hotly. "... my hand slipped."   
Patrick laughs at them and at Annette's bemused expression. "You're more than welcome for Christmas, Annette. Nonnatus always has room at the table. Any friend of the Turners is basically family, anyway." He goes to answer the door and let the babysitter in while Annette tries to digest the invite, and decide if they're serious - although Tim's expression suggests they are. 

The next few minutes are a slightly chaotic rush and making sure Patrick has his coat, hat and bag and also something for lunch, and Shelagh has everything she needs, and no-one's forgotten anything, and then the usual round of goodbyes and I love yous. Patrick bends down to hug both kids goodbye, and so does Shelagh, and Annette finds herself outside the Turner residence on the way to clinic

Annette and Tim were sat in the back of the car for the ride into Poplar. It was a quiet ride and Patrick let them and Shelagh out at the clinic saying he'd return by the start, he just had someone he needed to check on. 

 

"Why don't you go and see if Fred needs help with anything, Tim?" Shelagh asks, giving him a way out of attending the clinic. She knew that neither he nor Annette would want to deal with the questions and stares they would get if they showed up together. 

"Sure, probably needs to fix the boiler again." Tim jokes. "Will you be okay with Mum?" He asks Annette quietly, not wanting to leave her if it made her uncomfortable. 

"I'll be fine." Annette assures him. He squeezes her hand and turns to go to Nonnatus.


	8. First Clinic

Shelagh links her arms with Annette. "He'll come back with his pockets full of cake and several admonishments to brush his hair." She leads her into the Community Centre and waves to the nurses who are already in the hall setting up. "Hello, girls. Everything as it should be?" 

Trixie nods. "Everything present and accounted for! Barbara and the nuns are on their way. Apparently there was a scuffle in the street on the way over." She turns to Annette. "And hello, sweetie! My name is Beatrix, but most people call me Trixie." She offers her her hand. "Is everything alright?" 

"It's very nice to meet you Trixie." Annette smiles and shakes the offered hand. "It's great to finally put a face to the name. Tim has told me so much about you. And things are alright now."

Shelagh slips away for a little to make sure the take-in desk is all set up and to get the proper forms to book Annette in.

"Oh goodness, well I hope it was all good things he told you. Are you a friend of his from school?" Trixie is regarding her with a kind smile, and Annette can see that it's not the fake kindness she was used to seeing from her parents and their friends. 

"Yes. We met during orientation and became fast friends. I've been dealing with some.....personal difficulties...and he's been nothing but a wonderful friend." Annette's not sure how much she wants to tell, though she's sure Trixie probably knows why she's at the clinic.

 

Trixie smiles warmly and pets her hand. "He's a lovely boy. Let's find some tea for you, shall we?" Trixie doesn't push her into talking about why she's here; she has her suspicions, and is also sure that if she was here because of Tim, he and both parents would definitely be here. It's not her business beyond taking care of her and her baby. 

Shelagh joins them after making sure the take-in desk is set up, bringing the paperwork over to Annette. Trixie gives Shelagh a warm smile and a look to say to call her over if she needs anything and goes back to sorting out the beds. "Let's get these filled in, hmm? We can probably sneak you in before clinic opens properly, if you want." 

Annette fills in the paperwork, all her personal information, medical history. When she gets to the questions about the father, she feels it like a punch to the chest. She doesn't know how to answer anything other than his name. She doesn't know about his family, or his history. It's not that she wishes Kenneth was here for this, but she wishes that she was pregnant with the child of someone who cared. But she couldn't change that now. 

"Do you want me to do your exam?" Shelagh asks after Annette has finished filling out the paperwork. "Or I can ask Trixie if you'd rather someone else."

Shelagh touches her back comfortingly when she notices her hesitance. "Don't worry. We won't ever have to contact him. I keep meaning to re-format them." 

Annette is quiet and thinks about it a bit. "Can Trixie, please?" She blushes a little bit and looks embarrassed. "Only..." 

Shelagh laughs a little. "Of course. You can be seen by whoever you like." She calls Trixie over to them. "Another patient for you, Nurse Franklin, when you're ready." 

"Are you ready sweetie? Let's get you checked out." Trixie leads Annette over to one of the curtained off areas. "Just hop up on the bed, pull your skirt down, and your shirt up."

Annette does as she's told. Trixie begins the exam and talks to her throughout. And then moves onto the internal part which makes Annette feel more embarrassed than anything else has. 

"Well done sweetie. I know that's not the most fun, but imagine having it done by one of your colleagues. Shelagh and I have both been here for our own pregnancies." Trixie laughed. 

Annette resettles her clothes and giggles a little. "I couldn't ask Shelagh to do it. I've heard Tim talk about his studies too much - and they're so alike sometimes!" 

Trixie giggles with her too. "Shelagh was my midwife. It wasn't too bad but we did laugh a lot." Annette climbs down off the bed and Trixie helps her make sure her skirt is settled into place and she looks neat and tidy. "There we are. Shelagh will have your appointment dates all ready when you go out." 

Annette is feeling a little overwhelmed. She feels like she's been transplanted into an alternate dimension. Trixie was nothing but professional and helpful but she'd gotten used to her baby as something shameful, something people whispered about and sneered at, and almost something to ignore happening. Not this friendly examination and frankness and lots of smiles and a little booklet of dates and even some supplements. 

Annette puts everything she was given into her bag and leaves the little curtained area. The amount of women now in the waiting area is astounding. She hadn't been expecting it to be so busy.   
She heard Trixie call for her next patient and went up to the check in desk where Shelagh was sitting.   
"Everything alright?" Shelagh asks her as she hands the next woman in line the paperwork she needs.   
"Yes. Everything is right on track for being eleven weeks." Annette smiles, so pleased that so far her baby was healthy. 

Shelagh beams at her. "Oh! I'm so glad, Annette." She waves to some of the women as they come in and to the children who are sitting playing with the toys and things in the clinic. "Patrick came in while you were being seen, he said he's show you the way to Nonnatus if you want to go find Tim." 

"Thank you so much for everything Shelagh." Annette leans down and gives the older woman a hug.   
"You are very welcome. If there's anything you need, or you just want to talk I'm just a phone call away." Shelagh returns Annettes hug before having to book in another new patient. 

Annette looks around the packed clinic, looking for Patrick. He walks her to Nonnatus and they find Tim and Fred in the garden. 

Patrick leaves her on the corner with a smile. 

Tim stands up when he spots her. "Annie! All sorted?" He calls her over and smiles widely. "We were just looking to see what the vegetable garden was doing." 

Fred waves. "Hello, Miss. I'm Fred." 

"All sorted." She smiles at him as she approaches the garden. "Eleven weeks and right on track." It feels good, being able to be happy and even excited. "Hello Fred, I'm Annette." She turns to him and offers her hand. 

"Annette's a friend of mine from school, Fred. Only one in some of the classes that gives me a run for my money in debates." Tim brushes his hands on his pants and joins Annette at the fence. "Let's go inside and see if we can find some cake, if Sister Monica Joan hasn't snuck away with it all."

Fred nods to them and goes back to his work. 

Annette follows Tim towards the front door and slows down as they get closer. It's slowly sinking in that this is Nonnatus, as in the convent. Tim talks about them all so much, and they always seemed so nice in his stories, but she's still a little nervous about being an unwed mother around a load of nuns. Tim notices her hesitance and touches her shoulder. "It's okay. Everyone is really friendly, and most people are at clinic anyway." 

He pushes the door open. "Sister Monica Joan? Hello?" 

Not seeing anyone in the entry hall, Tim pulls Annette inside. "Sister Monica Joan and Sister Julienne are probably the only ones here." Tim leads her into the convent and to the kitchen.   
In the kitchen they find Sister Julienne preparing lunch.   
"Tim! I didn't know you would be stopping by today. What a wonderful surprise." Sister Julienne walks over to give Tim a hug. "Shouldn't you be in class though young man?" Her tone mildly scolding but her eyes still alight in a smile.   
"I had some other things that took precedence today." Tim shrugged. He turned to Annette, "This is a friend of mine, Annette. Annette, this is Sister Julienne. She's the head of Nonnatus house."

Annette waves a little awkwardly. "Hello, Sister, it's nice to meet you." She feels self conscious of the things in her bag and like Sister Julienne will be able to see them and know what she is. 

Sister Julienne. "Welcome to Nonnatus! Any friend of Tim's is a friend of ours. Come through, I'm sure we can find the two of you something to eat." She leaves them at the table to get some tea and cake and comes back to them with a smile. "How are your studies going?" she asks them both. "Have your parents seen you yet?"

Tim pulls out chairs for both women, and they sit down to talk.   
"They are going well, we both have great marks so far, but it is only the end of first term. Exams are the week before Christmas. And yes, we've seen my parents. We were there last night, stayed over." Tim takes a big bite of his piece of cake, which prompts a giggle from Annette.  
"Yes, I met Dr. and Mrs. Turner last night, they are very kind. I can see where Tim gets it." Annette sips her tea. 

Sister Julienne smiles widely. "They would both be so pleased to hear that. I know they are very proud of you, Tim." They chat a little bit more about general things before Sister Julienne excuses herself to make sure the autoclave is set up for when everyone returns from clinic. 

"Mum said she was going to be by after clinic and that she'd take us back home while Dad does his surgery hours. Do you want to wait here, or go some place that's not going to be as crowded in a few minutes." Tim asks Annette. Not wanting Annette to be too overwhelmed by all of the nuns and nurses returning from Clinic. 

Annette smiles at him, he was always making sure she was comfortable with the people around her. Kenneth would have just let her stand around in a corner and gone to talk with people. Not bothering to even introduce her. 

"Let's go somewhere quiet," Annette says with a smile. That was a lot of new people for one day and she's feeling a little tired. "Is there a cafe or something?" Everyone she's met has been so lovely but it's a little much to keep feeling like she's on display, especially given how everyone seems to know who Tim is and wants to say hello. 

Tim nods. "of course. There's one just down the way. Shall we go?" 

Tim makes sure to tell Sister Julienne that they are leaving and asks her to tell his Mum that they'll be at the cafe down the street.   
"Will we be seeing more of Miss Annette?" Sister Julienne asks before Tim can leave.  
Tim grins, "Yes, but not in the way you're thinking Sister. She's just a friend."   
Sister Julienne fixes him with a stare that he doesn't want to admit to knowing the meaning behind.   
Meeting Annette back in the main hall, they slip out before the other Nonnatus residents can return. 

"Do all the nurses live there?" Annette asks. She remembers seeing several nurses, and Trixie was married, but the convent definitely also felt like it was a house that was well lived in, even if it wasn't cluttered the way some houses she'd been to were. 

"No," Tim replies. "It's - a perk, I guess? You can take the room if you want but you don't have to. And of course the nuns live there." 

He's trying not to think about Sister Julienne's knowing look. They get seats in the window of the cafe and Tim orders and pays. 

“Trixie used to live there, but since she married Christopher, she no longer does. Same with Barbara." Tim joins her back at the table after paying. 

"And your mum." Annette adds.

"Yes, and Mum. Though she didn't live there after she left the order. She rented a room until she and Dad got married."

"Everyone here is so nice Tim. Trixie did my exam and she didn't even bat an eye that I'm not married. I've heard people talk about Poplar before, my parents mostly, and their friends at church. It was always talked about like it was the worst place in the world to live." Annette sighs and looks out through the window. "But no one I've met today has treated me or looked at me like I'm any less a person than they are."

Tim reaches out and places his hand on Annette's.

"People see what they want to see when it comes to places like Poplar, where people are poor, and at level of poverty that many can't even imagine, that something must be wrong with you. But I grew up here. And they take care of their own." Tim's not sure if what he's saying is making sense, but it seems like Annette understands. 

"I just wish that my parents could be as kind as they pretend to be." Annette looks down at the table, trying not to cry.

He squeezes her hand gently. "Oh Annie... I'm sorry." He doesn't really know what else to say. "Mum gave you her number, right? So you can ring if you need?" 

Annette nods. "Yes. And their address. And she helped me work out what buses I needed to get..." 

Tim smiles warmly. "That's good. You have no excuse not to come for Christmas now," he says teasingly 

"Do you really want me to come for Christmas?" She asks, not believing that he really does.

"Of course I do. Plus I don't think Angela will ever speak to me again if you don't." Tim teased and finally got a smile out of Annette. 

"Angela is adorable. She helped with her story last night, she's so bright!" Annette smiled fully now, the little girl had been such a breath of fresh air. 

They chat a little longer about the antics of little Angela and Teddy, and Tim told her more stories about the Nonnatus nurses and nuns. 

Shelagh comes and finds them eventually, after clinic has finished. Annette seems much happier and more at ease when she joins them at the table, laughing with Tim and talking with her hands. It's nice to see. 

"You two ready to go back?" Shelagh asks with a smile.

"I guess we probably should." Annette stands up, "Maybe I'll have time to stop by the library for a little to get information for an assignment."

"Always thinking about classes. Live a little Annie! You can't end a day of playing hooky with studying." Tim teases her and bumps his shoulder against hers. 

"You would do well to follow her example young man." Shelagh jokingly scolds.   
Annette shoots Tim a smug look. "See, ~Tim." 

Tim just rolls his eyes at them both. "I do plenty of studying!" They climb back into the car and Annette and Tim bicker affectionate about how much they do/don't study. Shelagh is mostly quietly as she drives, apart form to grin at Tim in the rear view mirror occasionally, sharing the joke. It's nice to hear them being typical twenty year olds after how fraught the last couple of days have been. She pulls up outside Tim's building. "There you are. Home safe."

Shelagh parks and gets out to give Tim and Annette hugs before she heads back home.   
"Thank you again for everything Shelagh." Annette hugs her tight.  
"You are more than welcome dear. Please call me if you need anything." Shelagh gives her one last squeeze before moving to Tim.  
"Be good, call if you need us." Shelagh hugs him close, standing up on her toes to kiss his cheek. "I love you."  
"Always. Love you too, Mum." He hugs her back.   
Getting in the car, Shelagh gives them one last wave before heading home


	9. A Proposal

"They'll come around. And if not... we'll deal with that."

"We?" Annette sits up and looks at him. Not sure what he means.  
"You think I'm gonna let you be alone in this? You're the best friend I've ever had Annie. No matter what, you have me."

"I can't ask you to do that Tim." she shakes her head. She can't ask him to be there for her while she has another man's baby. That's not fair to him.

Tim takes her hands in his. It was either that or reach out to cup her face, but he didn't want to touch the bruise. "You're not asking." he kisses her knuckles like he's seen his dad do with Shelagh so many times. "You will not be alone. Say the word and I'll go buy a ring tonight."

She takes her hands out of his gently but touches his shoulders gently. "Tim. If you really want to help, I would be so grateful. But I ... we both deserve better than that."  
Her heart is pounding. Tim is offering to marry her and she can't believe it. Why would he be willing to marry her and raise someone else's kid? "I don't want you feeling obligated, this isn't your mistake to fix." She catches what she said and is almost disgusted with herself. A mistake, that's what Kenneth called it. "It's not a mistake at all. Certainly unplanned, but Tim, I don't want you to marry me because I'm pregnant."

Tim just looks at her for a few moments before nodding. "Okay. Okay. Never a mistake."  
She's worried for a beat, worried that his offer of of help was conditional.

He takes her hands again and squeezes gently when she doesn't pull away from him  
"Would you like some tea? And then we can decide what to do."

She nods and curls up on the couch again. Pulling her knees up to her chest and resting her head on them. She watches as he moves around her kitchen.

He puts the kettle on and makes the tea. Peers into the pantry and fridge and makes a note to pick up some flour the next time he comes back. "I think Aunt Trixie would say this ought to be horlicks..." he smiles a little and puts her tea on the table  
He knows how she takes it  
Annette smiles at him in thanks. She loves hearing little things like that about his family.  
He joins her on the couch again and watches her drink her tea.


	10. Morning Sickness

Annie isn’t quite sure at first what to make of Tim’s offer to help, even after she’d turned down his proposal, nor what ‘help’ to expect from him. 

It’s turns out his help is mostly practical, at least in the first few weeks of her pregnancy. Whenever they’re together - which is increasingly often, between her fear of Kenneth and her morning sickness - Tim goes out of his way to make himself useful and her life easier. Remembering to make her tea without milk and her toast without butter, because she has to eat something and the milk and butter sets her stomach off. He even ends up holding her hair up and rubbing her back, helping her to clean up any time she doesn't make it to the toilet in time. He hates leaving her to go to classes, even when she assures him she’s feeling alright. 

Her morning classes suffer at the peak of the morning sickness, but she’s still determined to do the reading and complete the assignments outlined on the syllabus. Annette talks to her tutors, let’s them know that she's been ill but wants to continue with her classes, and is relieved to let them believe she’s suffering some kind of euphemistic “lady’s problems” and don’t question her too closely. With Tim’s help she doesn’t miss an assignment, and even manages to get to classes for her exams, even when the ever present smog of cigarette smoke and caffeine is hell for her nausea. Thankfully, by the time she returns for spring semester, her morning sickness has passed and she can return to classes - at least for now.

Tim is in awe of her ability to keep up with her classes and assignments even though she's so sick she can barely move in the mornings. “You’re a marvel,” he tells her one afternoon as they’re studying together, even after Annie has run to the bathroom twice already. “I’m already struggling to keep up with everything, without being too sick to stand.” 

Annie shrugs and ducks her head. “It’s only secretarial studies,” Annie protests, but Tim won’t let her get away with talking herself down; he’s heard Kenneth do it often enough and hated it then, too. 

“Nonsense. You work just as hard as I do - harder, even.” 

Annie shakes her head at him like he’s ridiculous, but gives him a small, pleased smile anyway. 

Annie’s morning sickness worries Tim. He remembers his Mum being sick - it was one of the things that made him suspect she was expecting - but never this bad. Even after his Mum and Dad and the other Nonnatus midwives besides reassure him it’s perfectly normal and nothing to worry about, he can’t help but fret, not least at how miserable she seems sometimes. He's so relieved when it stops, and she can actually eat normally and get some uninterrupted sleep.


	11. Patrick and Shelagh Talk

Shelagh and Patrick have a *long* talk when they get home. About Annette and Tim, but mostly about Annette. How they can help her, what they can do to help her. Shelagh is already so fond of her, wants to protect her, wants to care about her and give her a big hug. And it veers a little into wider society stuff too, about the things they force young women to do and resort to and how cruel men can be to other people. And how proud they are of their son, of course. 

Shelagh has so many feelings about this poor girl. She just wants to bring her into their family. It hurts her heart to know that she was turned away by her family because she's pregnant.   
Of course she's seen it before, same with Patrick. But it never hurts any less. And Annette being so close to Tim makes her feel it even more. And oh she is so proud of him and his big heart. Willing to take on responsibility for her baby. Shelagh makes it her mission that Annette get to enjoy her pregnancy and get to be excited. Because it's a wonderful thing, even if it was unexpected and unplanned. 

Shelagh takes to writing to her, I think. And taking her out to dinner at the cafe after her clinic appointments when she can, so she can talk about the developments and moan a little bit about pregnancy symptoms and ask for any advice that isn't strictly medical, like how you alter seams and how to wash baby linen and that kind of thing. It's nice. And Annette comes to visit a few times too, gets the bus on the weekends, both with and without Tim.


	12. December 23rd

At first, Annie didn't realize that the invitation to Christmas was sincere. The choruses of "you're always welcome" would be said in her parents' circle, but it was never really followed through on.

So when Tim arrives at her place on the 23rd, telling her that she needs to pack for the next few days, she's more than a little shocked. He's mildly confused that she isn't packed? Or not packing.

"Mum, and Angie, invited you to Christmas. That's not an offer you turn down!" he jokes

Annie shrugs and looks down. She looks embarrassed. "I wasn't sure. It's - the kind of thing people say to be polite."

"Mum doesn't invite people if it's not sincere." Tim tells her. "She really wants you to join us, I do too."

"I don't want to intrude in your family Christmas..."

"You're not intruding. I promise. Plus Christmas dinner is at Nonnatus House. It won't just be my family, Trixie will be there, Fred and his wife Violet."

Annie nods. "Well... Okay." She smiles at him, a little wobbly. "How - how long shall I pack for?"

"Mum said she's coming up tomorrow late morning. Since Christmas is Saturday, I would pack for the weekend, we can come back up here Monday."

Annie nods. "Okay. It'll only take me a few moments..."

Tim frowns a little. "Annie?"

"Yes, Tim?" She smiles, her perfectly poised professional smile

"If you really don't want to go, I won't make you.....I just..don't want you to spend Christmas alone."

"No!" Annie says quickly. "No, it's not that! It's just... Unexpected. I'm not really sure of the etiquette."

"Etiquette? It's Christmas! It's time for fun and family"

She gives him a sardonic smile, Tim really is a bit of a little kid at times. "You've met my family."

"Well, now you'll be part of the Nonnatus family."

"I've never met them! Isn't Nonnatus the convent?"

"Yeah, it's the convent my Mum was part of. But you've met her, and Trixie, and Sister Julienne." He grins at her. "And you've met Fred. The Nonnatus family isn't just the nuns."

Annie looks a bit skeptical.

"Will...will I be welcome at a convent Christmas?" She asks tentatively. Because she knows it's sure to come out that she's expecting.

Tim frowns. He looks confused. "Of course!"

The idea of someone not being welcome at Nonnatus is a foreign concept, because everyone is welcome there.

"Tim. I'm an unwed expectant mother." Her voice is flat. A bit like, duh

"And my Mum left the convent for a man." His voice is equally flat.  
"I promise you, they are nothing like your parents, or whatever church you attended with them."

That's what finally convinces her. Shelagh wasn't kicked out of her "family" for choosing to leave the order. And like, she has met Sister Julienne. She still packs her most conservative outfits. The ones she'd wear for Christmas services with her parents.


	13. Christmas Eve

Annie had surpassed just nervous while waiting for Shelagh to pick her up the next morning. 

What if she does something wrong? What if Tim is wrong about the Nonnatus family? Tim is family and a trainee doctor and such a good man. It's different for him. 

When Tim gets to Annie’s door, he refuses to let her carry her bag down to the car.   
“No heavy lifting..” He insists. Even though her bag was nowhere near what anyone would consider heavy. 

Shelagh rolls her eyes at him and hugs Annie in greeting. "Good morning, Annie."

"Good morning Mrs Turner, thank you for inviting me to spend the holiday with your family."  
Ever proper, even though Shelagh shoots her a teasing glare at being called Mrs Turner.

Tim comes back to them from the car with a grin. "Got everything, Annie?"

"Yeah, I uh..pack light." She's got a suitcase and a bag that has their gifts in it.

Shelagh looks momentarily concerned but beams when Annie turns to her.  
"Ready to go?"

Annie nods.

During the ride, Annie is mostly quiet. But it's not a quiet car ride, Tim and Shelagh spend it talking about their holiday plans. Sharing news about various family members and laughing and teasing. Tim tries to make sure Annie is involved. Talks about Trixie and Christopher and Alexandra and little Alison.

When Shelagh gets home and brings Tim and Annie in, Teddy and Angela bombard them. They’re so excited to see Tim. It seems like it’s been forever even though it’s only been a few weeks. And Annie is there too, which thrills Angie, who wraps her arms around Annie in a giant hug just after she’s gotten in the door. 

"I - hello?" Annie says, a little startled by the little girl stuck to her legs. She honestly didn't think Angie would remember her.

"Hi Annie! Are you spending Christmas with us?!" Her little face looking up from Annie's hip, smile wide.

Annie nods and carefully strokes her hair flat. "Yes, Angela. I'm spending Christmas with you."

Angie squeezes Annie's legs and shouts "yay!" which makes Annie laugh  
"Told you she'd be excited." Tim grins, leaning into her.

Annie smiles at him gratefully.  
Teddy approaches and tugs on her skirt.

"Hi Teddy." Annie smiles down at him.  
"How about we let them in past the doorway?" Patrick says coming to the door and ushering the littles away

"Daddy, Annie is staying for CHRISTMAS!" Angie shouts.  
Tim touches Annie’s shoulder. "Come on. Mum made up my room for you again."

Annie nods and follows him upstairs as he calls back down to Teddy and Angie that he'll bring Annie right back.

They're already complaining he's stealing her away, he gets to spend ALL THE TIME with her  
Shelagh had already taken her suitcase up, and Tim figured Annie might want a little bit of time to gather herself before being attacked by the littles. He grins at her a little sheepishly. "Sorry. They're a little enthusiastic."

She sits down on the bed and smiles at him "Don't apologize....it's cute, if a little overwhelming."

Tim laughs softly. "It runs in the family."

"Being overwhelming?" Annie jokes, grinning.

"Being cute, obviously." Tim moves as though flicking his hair over his shoulder.

Annie grins cheekily at him, "Must have skipped you."

She gets up and is out the door before he has a chance to respond.

He half jogs after her. "Hey! Thompson! You'll answer for that!"

He finds her downstairs sitting on the couch still laughing.  
And Shelagh's just watching them.

Tim jokingly wraps his arms around her shoulders, making sure to be gentle and loose. "I've got you now.  
He pokes her side and she half heartedly tries to wriggle away from him.  
"I surrender! I taken it back!" She shouts as his poke turns into tickling.

They end up sitting next to each other on the sofa, their shoulders pressed together, giggling and half heartedly poking each other.

Annie kind of leans into him.  
His arm around her before didn't feel threatening.  
Or possessive.

Shelagh watches them quietly for a while and then calls out as she walks in. "Tim? Annie?"

Tim looks up at Shelagh and Annie takes the opportunity of him being distracted to poke him in the ribs again.

Tim squawks and turns to look at her, looking wounded.

Shelagh chuckles. "And you two are supposed to be grown ups?"

Annie looks sheepish as if she’d been properly scolded, but Tim is grinning, all twinkly eyed. "You're always the one who complains we're growing up too fast."

"And at times like these I'm reminded that boys never really grow up." Shelagh sits down and smirks at him.  
"But but but she's the one who poked me!" Tim sputters  
"And you probably started it." Shelagh nearly wants to stick her tongue at him  
"Haha" Annie mocks. 

Tim deflated and looks defeated, letting out an exaggerated sigh.

Shelagh chuckles and pets his shoulder in exaggerated sympathy, "It's okay. Your father's worse."

Annie giggles a little. Everything feels so comfortable here. Tim wasn't shouted at,  
Shelagh didn't look around to make sure Patrick wasn't nearby before making a joke about him.

"His father's worse at what?" Patrick asks with a grin, coming into the room.

Annie flinched a little when Patrick came in, despite the grin on his face. Almost waiting for harsh words in response. Hoping that no one noticed. 

“Nothing darling.” Shelagh grins at him. 

Patrick takes a seat in the empty chair to Annie’s side and leans over to her.   
“I have a feeling I’ve been insulted.” He fake whispers to her. 

Annie turns to Patrick and grins a little, flicking a look at the others as she does so. Shelagh is rolling her eyes and shaking her head affectionately, and Tim winks at her before coming to her rescue. “Mum was just talking about how mature and sensible we are.” 

Patrick arches a skeptical eyebrow at Shelagh. “Were you now?” 

“Of course, dear,” Shelagh replies teasingly, “You and Tim are the height of comportment,” and then startles at Annie’s laugh that she hastily tries to cover with a cough, which makes everyone else laugh along, too.

Annie relaxes into the atmosphere of the Turner home. The banter between Shelagh and Patrick is light, and Annie realizes that there’s no harsh tones exchanged, that it’s all playful. 

Tim bumps her shoulder a little with his, “You doing alright?” His voice is quiet so his parents can’t hear. He noticed her jump a little when his dad came into the room.   
Annie nods and ducks her head a little, embarrassed that he had felt her jumpiness, but she bumps her shoulder back into his. And it’s not long before they’re bouncing back and forth giggling. 

“Do we need to separate you two?” Shelagh asks, failing at containing a laugh as both Tim and Annie sit bolt upright, shoulders no longer touching.   
“No.” They say together before dissolving into giggles. Annie leaned back against the sofa and into Tim a little again and let the resumed conversations between the Turners flow around her as she settled back down. The warmth of the atmosphere of the Turner house was filling her, and it brought with it a sense of security she hadn’t felt in a long time. 

Holidays with her parents weren’t warm family gatherings. They were events with her father’s friends and business network, and with her Mum’s social circle. She and her sisters were dressed up and showed off. Gifts were exchanged after breakfast and the majority of the day was spent at church services. It felt nice, to be around such a warm family. 

The rest of Christmas Eve is spent in the house, cooking for the potluck like dinner on Christmas, playing games, and in general merriment.


	14. Christmas Morning

On Christmas morning, Annie wakes up to a gentle shaking of her shoulder, and blinks her eyes open to find Angie peering over the edge of the bed at her, calling her name. 

“Annie! Annie, time to wake up!” Her voice is soft but the excitement in her voice is obvious to hear. “Mummy says time to wake up! Breakfast is ready and then PRESENTS!” 

Annie laughs and sits up, stretching her hands over her head, reminded of the last time she spent the night in the Turner house. Angie cheers and runs out of the room, followed by a muffled ‘oof’ as she runs into Tim going down the stairs. Annie laughs as she hears him tell Angie he’s going back to bed, and her loud protests to the contrary. 

“No, Tim! Breakfast and PRESENTS!” 

Annie is still laughing at Tim’s teasing grumbles when there’s a soft knock on the door. “Annie? May I come in?” 

“Of course,” Annie calls back, quickly pulling her dressing gown on, and Shelagh pushes the door open with a smile, holding a small wrapped package and a mug of tea. 

“Good morning,” Shelagh greets with a grin and sits on the edge of the bed. “I hope Angie didn’t wake you up too roughly?” 

“No,” Annie reassures with a laugh. “She was very good. Especially considering it's Christmas, after all.” 

Shelagh laughs and hands her the mug. “Here, I thought you might like this before facing the rabble downstairs. And I brought you this.” She hands her the little wrapped package. “I thought you might like yours a little early.” 

Annie makes a soft noise and carefully undoes the bow holding the paper in place and pulls back the paper, revealing cheery looking tartan pyjamas, slippers and a little package of biscuits, wrapped up in tissue paper and ribbon. 

“It’s traditional,” Shelagh explains. “You don’t have to wear them, of course, but we usually open presents in our new pyjamas. I thought you might like yours now.” When Annie looks at her, Shelagh’s expression is warm and kind and a little nervous, almost. 

“Oh Shelagh,” Annie says quietly, lifting the thick, soft sleep shirt out of the wrapping paper. “These are lovely. Of course I’ll wear them.” Annie leans forward to give her a hug, and Shelagh wraps her arms around her in return, holding her tightly and tucking a strand of hair behind Annie’s ear when she sits back. 

“Take your time and join us when you’re ready,” Shelagh tells her, “But not too long, or Angie might come and help you get ready,” she adds with a wink, before getting up and closing the door behind her.  
After freshening up and changing into her new pyjamas, wrapped up in her dressing gown, Annie goes down the stairs, following the sound of laughter and the smell of cooking breakfast. Patrick is in the kitchen - in Shelagh’s apron, which makes her laugh - and Tim is lying on the floor with Angela and Teddy. Her laugh makes him look up and he grins at her. “Morning, sleepy head. Come join us down here!” 

Annie laughs and sits down, a little startled when Teddy immediately crawls into her lap, but happily wraps her arms around him. Angela and Tim are debating how Father Christmas gets all the way around the world in one night, and what they’re going to do today, and whether they’ve been good or not. 

Patrick brings breakfast out on a tray - toast and eggs and a little bacon - and then joins them on the floor, in his own pyjamas and threadbare slippers and dressing gown. Annie tries not to stare. Shelagh joins them shortly afterwards, putting on the record player and carrying a large pot of tea and mugs on a tray. They eat breakfast on the floor, all sitting together and talking, Patrick’s voice warm and affectionate. 

Teddy and Angela eat their breakfast quickly, as is to be expected, and if they mostly eat the bacon and the egg yolk, well, it’s Christmas after all. There’s a scrabble as Angela and Teddy run around, dividing up presents and settling down to open their own, totally engrossed in what they’ve both been given. 

Annie is surprised to find she has a small pile of presents, too, and starts opening them when Patrick and Tim have already ripped into theirs with almost more excitement than the children. She opens the children’s gifts first - hand written cards and some more biscuits, clearly the result of a joint effort in the kitchen, and a little bag of sweeties that Shelagh tells Annie was bought with Angela’s very own pocket money. The package from Shelagh and Patrick was elegantly wrapped, and contained a beautiful silk scarf and matching gloves, and Annie quickly reassured an anxious Shelagh that they were perfect and she loved them, and they would match her evening coat perfectly.

“Oh thank you, dear!” Shelagh tells her warmly, and leans across to give her a quick hug and to kiss her cheek, admiring the glasses Annie had picked out for her after many hours of deliberation, while Patrick holds up the chocolates and wine bottle with a pleased grin. She tries not to watch anxiously while Tim unwraps her gift, and is relieved when he makes an unrestrained noise of delight and proudly shows off the leather satchel Annie had got him, tired of listening to him complain about the hole in the lining and the fraying strap. Annie had begun to worry about her gifts for Angie and Teddy - which had seemed sensible at the time, but now seemed hopelessly mundane - but needn’t have, as Teddy pulled the hat as far down as it would go, and refused to take it off until they were sitting down for Christmas dinner. 

Annie had unintentionally left Tim’s gift for last, and is glad that Teddy and Angela had begun unboxing their toys and so distracted Shelagh and Patrick. She unwraps the little box carefully, giggling a little at the slightly shoddy wrapping and conscious of Tim’s eyes on her where he’s leaning back against the couch behind them. The box is long and thin, and when she opens it Annie can’t help but gasp - nestled in the fabric is thin gold chain with a small ruby pendant. 

Tim coughs a little, and rubs at the back of his neck, ducking his head. “I thought - ruby is the birthstone for July.” 

“Oh Tim…” Annie breaths, and puts the box down to throw her arms around him and hug him tightly. “Thank you. It’s perfect.”


	15. Gift for Baby

After breakfast and the opening of presents, Annie doesn’t let Shelagh send her away from helping to clear up the plates and cookware. They work side by side in the kitchen, Annie washing, and Shelagh drying. The sounds of Angie and Teddy paying with their new toys as well as the carols coming from the record player are mixing with the sounds of the water and Annie finds it calming. Shelagh doesn't expect or force her to make small talk, so they work in a comfortable silence. 

“Do you mind wiping the counters? I’m going to double check and make sure we don’t have plates hiding in living room.” 

Annie nods and turns to wipe down the kitchen counters. After returning the wash cloth to the sink to dry and turn around, she sees Shelagh standing to the side of the door holding a small wrapped package. 

“I wanted to give this to you away from the prying eyes of small children.” Shelagh says taking a step forward and holding the package out to Annie. 

“Shelagh, you’ve given me so much--” Annie starts.   
“Hush,” Shelagh teasingly scolds and presses the package into Annie’s hands.   
Set neatly in the paper were a small pair of crocheted booties and a matching hat in a soft cream colored yarn. Annie ran her fingers over the soft material and tried to blink back tears.   
“I made them a little big,” Shelagh says softly, “so baby can grow into them.”  
“Shelagh….” Annie looks up from the package before setting it down and hugging the other woman. “Thank you so much.”  
“You’re welcome, dear. It’s Christmas, and baby needs a gift too.” Shelagh smiles at her when they part.   
Annie lets out a little laugh. “I guess so. I haven’t bought anything yet. So, this is the first thing that’s theirs.” Her voice is quiet.   
“You’ve still got plenty of time. And I have no doubt that your baby will want for anything.” Shelagh pats Annie’s arm and turns to leave the kitchen. Annie follows her out but slips away upstairs to put the hat and booties with her things in Tim’s room.   
“Everything alright?” Tim asks when Annie gets back downstairs.   
Annie gives him a nod. “Perfect.” She says with a small smile. “Your mum, she made the baby a little hat and booties. Wanted to give it to me away from little eyes.”   
Tim beams at her. “She told me she was working on something. Wasn’t sure if she was overstepping, making something for the baby.”  
“She didn’t overstep at all. I absolutely loved it. Baby’s first Christmas gift, and they’re not even here yet.” She giggles a little and places her hand on her belly for a quick moment. It’s something she tries not to do with Angie and Teddy around. She’s not ready for the questions, however enthusiastic they would be, that she’s sure she would be bombarded with.


	16. Too Much

A couple of hours later, after a mug of hot chocolate and a few carefully rationed sweets, Annie waves goodbye to Tim, Shelagh and Angie, all of them bundled up in their coats and hats and scarves. Tim had explained Shelagh led the choir in neighbourhood caroling every year, and it’s a tradition he doesn’t want to break just yet. Annie had gratefully accepted Patrick’s offer to stay in the warm and take advantage of the peace and quiet quiet, and Teddy has elected to stay too, to keep Annie company and to make a start on all the presents he’d gotten for Christmas. 

Now, though, with the quiet of Tim’s bedroom, Annie feels… lonely. Everyone had been so lovely, so welcoming, so warm - had even thought to give her baby a gift, a baby most of the world doesn’t even know existed. But as warm and loving the day has been, she still missed her family. Missed her sisters most of all, Janie and Margaret fighting to be the first one downstairs, her Mum’s baking, even her Father’s gruff and grudging affection. Between breakfast - heavier than she’s used to - upsetting her stomach and the turmoil of the day, Annie finds herself crying quietly into her hands, her knees drawn up against her chest, half lying under the blanket Shelagh had added to the bed. 

She’s startled by a creak of the floor and then a little voice saying her name and a tiny hand on her hair. Lifting her head, she sees Teddy peering over the bed at her with big, worried eyes. “Annie sick?” 

Annie tries to dry her eyes. “Oh no, Teddy, don’t worry,” even though her voice cracks a little and she can’t help sobbing more. The little boy climbs up onto the bed with her with some effort and wraps his arms around her in a big hug before jumping down, and Annie can hear his little feet going down the stairs. She sobs and curls back up on the bed, feeling even worse for upsetting Teddy on such a special day. 

A few minutes later there’s a knock on the door, and Patrick’s voice calling her name. Scolding herself, Annie swipes at her eyes - they’ve been so nice, how ungracious to cry - and calls to say he may come in. 

When Patrick pushes open the door, his expression is soft and a little sad, smiling a half smile and bearing a cup of tea. “A little birdie told me you were upset. I brought you some tea - without milk, just in case.” She smiles at him, and the thoughtfulness of his gesture. “Would you like some company, too?” 

Annie debates for a second, and then nods. “Please? It’s not that I’m not grateful, or having a good time! It’s just…” She trails off, wringing her hands in her lap. 

“Missing your family?” Patrick suggests, and when she looks at him his expression is wistful and sad and kind. When she nods, he sits down on the chair near the bed, shoulders rounded, elbows on his knees. “I understand. It’s … I always miss Tim’s Mum the most at Christmas.” He looks up at her soft gasp and smiles. “It’s okay. It’s good, that I can - think about her, now.” 

Annie relaxes a little, tugs the blanket around her shoulders, the tea warming her hands. “It’s just… I miss them. My Mum, my Dad, especially my sisters… They’re family” 

Patrick reaches out and squeezes her hand. “It’s okay to miss them. To be sad you can’t be with them. Take as much time as you need, but you’re welcome to join me too. It would be nice, to share the memories with someone.” 

Annie nods, and Patrick smiles and leaves her with another squeeze of her hand. It doesn’t fix it, her chest still aches from missing them, but sharing it with someone, and knowing she’s not alone, it helps. When she takes her empty mug downstairs a little later, there is quiet music coming from the radio, and Annie joins Patrick in the living room, curled up next to him on the sofa, both of them quiet but taking comfort in being not alone.


	17. Christmas Dinner

Christmas dinner at Nonnatus was not what Annie had been expecting. The house was already full when they had arrived, having been delayed by Angela losing her left shoe and Teddy’s complaint that his jumper was itchy, and what Annie now knows is the traditional fussing with Tim’s hair that he grouses will only be repeated when the nuns see him, anyway. Sister Julienne greets them at the door, welcoming everyone - including Annie, to her surprise - with a hug, and allowing Teddy and Angela to take her hands and tow her inside. There were streamers and paper decorations and holly everywhere, and even a few sprigs of mistletoe and a tree overloaded with handmade decorations and shiny baubles. Annie, Tim and the others followed Sister Julienne and the children down the hall, towards the sound of music, laughter and children shouting. 

Annie isn’t quite prepared for the number of people in the living room, nor for how incredibly friendly they all were. There seems to be a never-ending queue of people waiting to greet the Turner family, who she is sure must have seen them merely days previously; the children are already clambering into the laps of various adults or joining their friends on the floor. Annie is introduced to nuns, and the curate and his wife, and dear Fred and Violet, and the husbands of the nurses she already knows. 

Besides the number of people present, the most overwhelming aspect of Christmas at Nonnatus is their apparently genuine friendliness. It isn’t long before Barbara has pulled her into conversation, before Trixie takes over to compliment her dress and her hair and to offer her any of her old maternity dresses she likes the look of, taking out seams is such a pain and can ruin a hemline even beyond Violet’s capable attentions. Plus the Sisters’ concern, from Sister Winifred's enthusiasm to Sister Mary Cynthia’s quiet greeting.

As soon as everyone has been introduced in the living room, Patrick appears with a camera in his hand, laughing good naturedly when it takes a while and Sister Julienne calling for quiet for the noise to settle and everyone to turn their attention to everyone. 

“Now that everyone’s arrived, I think it’s time for the annual photograph.” There is soon good natured moaning and detours to grab another glass of punch or a mince pie before everyone troops off, and Annie somehow finds herself on the steps of Nonnatus, with Tim’s arm linked through hers and Shelagh just behind her, a hand on her shoulder. Teddy and Angela are holding her hands, and the picture takes while she’s laughing at Patrick’s sprint back to his wife’s side before the flash goes. 

The resulting image - her and the Turners in the middle, the Nonnatus community fanned out around them, beaming faces and contentment radiating out from the still image, remains one of Annie’s most treasured possessions for the rest of her life.

Back inside, Christmas dinner is served, everyone squeezes in around the dining table and the children on small tables nearby, and Annie is overwhelmed and more than a little shocked. And still very stuck on how nuns are more accepting of her than her own parents, even now they know she’s expecting. Nuns and minister and a minister's wife.

It's all very overwhelming, far more overwhelming than any of the social situations she’s used to, not least because none of the small talk lessons she’d been given seem to apply.

Christopher (Trixie’s husband; dentist her brain supplies) spots the expression of mild panic in her eyes and shows her to a little alcove out of the way while Trixie is taking her turn fussing with Tim's hair. He grins at her, looking a little sheepish but warm and fond.  
“It’s a lot to take in, huh? Especially your first time anywhere. They’re all so determined to make you feel welcome. But it really is just one big family.”  
"I just... haven't had much family time." Annie admits. She doesn’t know how much he knows about her, but she’s sure Trixie has told him some.   
"Well now you've got a family forever." Christopher tells her, patting her arm before leaving her to have some time alone. 

Despite how overwhelming it is, and how she feels a little like hiding right now, being accepted into the Nonnatus family helps heal the hurt of her parents abandoning her. It doesn't make it disappear, but it does make her feel less alone, and she has a number of invitations for tea and cake already.

Tim realises she's disappeared after a while and finds her sitting by the window, watching the evening street outside. He doesn't say anything, just sits down next to her and takes her hand in his. Waiting for her to be ready to talk.  
She leans against his shoulder. The hand holding thing is something he picked up from his parents, and something Annie has now seen in practice. Their mushy stuff has definitely rubbed off on him; he's much more demonstrative than people expect, but it's comforting.

"This isn't what I expected when you said convent," she says quietly eventually

He laughs. Nonnatus isn’t exactly a normal convent.

"Everyone was very welcoming."

"That's how they are. They don't care where you've come from or what brought you here. They don't judge, they just love." Tim sounds as warm and fond of the place as he always does.

"They always talked a lot about love, in church. I never really felt it until now."

"That’s one reason I’m so angry at your parents,” Tim admits quietly, and squeezes her hand. “This is the church I grew up with, nuns who never turned their back on someone even if their decisions went against their beliefs, and who really meant it when they talked about love. I'm not a believer like my mum, but I think that this is what it's supposed to be about."

Annie smiles. "Sometimes, Tim, you’d make a much better Christian than most who profess to believe."

Tim snorts. "Those people need to think about their faith again. You will always be welcomed here. You and your baby. And any one of the people here tonight will be there if you need them.”

Annie knocks their shoulders together, and then grins at him cheekily, wanting to lighten the mood. "So... do they always fix your hair like that?"

Tim rolls his eyes at her. "Pretty sure they’ve done it since the day I was born. Sister Evangeline used to tell me I came out with my hair sticking up."

Annie ruffles his hair playfully. "I wish I could have met her."

“Me too,” Tim replies, and although Annie knows he misses her, his voice is warm and happy. 

That night, as the party winds down and the children start to tire out and climb into various laps, Annie finds it strange to finally put a face to all these people - predominantly women - Tim talks about every day. Especially Trixie and Sister Julienne. She's not really sure what she expected, but neither of them are really it - even though Tim’s descriptions of them were perfect.  
She definitely hadn’t been expecting Sister Julienne's delight at Tim bringing a friend to Christmas, especially such a unreputable friend. Had expected perhaps kindness and compassion, given the work Annie knows she’s done and the high esteem Tim holds her in, but not her genuine welcome and her taking Annie’s hands in greeting and the warmth of her smile as she invited her in.

Sitting with Tim by the window, he tells her that Sister Julienne has taken a step back from her midwifery duties. Deliveries have become harder than they once were, and as hard as she found the decision, she couldn’t risk a mother's or a baby's health if her health failed her during a delivery. Despite her less hands on approach, though, people still found her a reassuring presence at clinic, and she remains one of the best when it comes to spotting possible complications - so good that Patrick will frequently consult with her over other doctors. 

Eventually, once Tim has been cajoled into acting as Teddy’s pillow on the sofa, Trixie brings over a mug of Horlicks, quipping that it’s "practically traditional." 

Trixie hands a mug to Annie, "You're not just part of the Turner family now, sweetie. You've got all of the Nonnatuns, nuns and nurses both, not to mention the handyman." She grins and shakes her head fondly at Fred.  
"Nonnatus isn’t what I expected," Annie replies, accepting the warm mug from her. "I should have, though. I can see Tim in all of you, your influences.”  
Trixie smile softens at that, before turning wicked again. “That’s good; for years we feared he’d turn out just like his father! Can you imagine if we had two of Patrick? For one, Violet would be perpetually out of buttons." Trixie laughs.  
Annie giggles. "Tim sews mine for me, actually.." She takes a sip. "I didn't expect that he'd get his gentleness from his Dad and his bloody minded righteous fury from his Mum. Or his right hook.”   
Trixie laughs along with her, and then stands quietly in the little alcove Annie is still sitting in, both of them sipping their drinks in companionable silence.   
Annie is a little surprised, but also… cautiously optimistic at maybe having a friend, even if that friend is her midwife.

Annie takes a deep breath and then looks down at her mug. "He asked me to marry him, you know. I said no.”  
"I know. Shelagh said. He's a little... Over-enthusiastic at times.” Trixie replies.   
“I don’t know if I would consider it enthusiasm. It was more of an offer to marry me so the baby wouldn’t be born out of wedlock, and I wouldn’t be one my own.”

“And I’m sure he meant it,” Trixie replies quietly, “But you won’t be, necessarily. Things are changing. Me and Christopher were together when Alison was born, but not when Alexandra was born. She’s his first wife’s daughter.” Trixie tells her.   
"First wife?" Annie asks, curious.  
"Yes, he was married before we met. Divorced by the time we did, and Alexandra was 6 when we married."  
Annie makes a soft noise. "How was that? Loving someone else’s baby? I know Shelagh loved Tim the moment she let herself, but ... Shelagh loves everyone like that."  
"Yeah, she does." Trixie smiles at her. "It was difficult at first. I was terrified that she'd hate me. That I'd be a horrible parent, that she'd think I was trying to take her mum's place. Or that I was trying to take her daddy away from her."  
Annie is watching carefully. "And now?"  
"I couldn't love her more. She's as much my child as Allie is." Trixie says. "The connection wasn't instant. But I worked on it by getting to know her. She spends most of her time with her mum. Which I think is why it took longer. Shelagh was around Tim all the time even before she married Patrick."

“I’ve never - I mean. I haven’t been able to imagine a future for myself, after finding out that I was expecting.” She puts a hand on her stomach, protective. “I want my baby, that’s not it, it’s just… I said no because we both deserve better, to be with someone who really loves us, but who wants to marry someone with an illegitimate baby?” Annie laughs a little self-deprecating.

Trixie wraps her arms around her shoulders and squeezes gently in comfort. Annie looks at her, sheepishly. “I haven’t even worn my favourite lipstick since I found out I was pregnant.”  
“Well,” Trixie says bracingly, rubbing her shoulder and then clinking their mugs together. “That we can fix easy as pie. And then, who wouldn’t want someone as pretty as you and your sweet little baby?”   
Annie laughs, and if it’s a little wet, neither of them mention it, and Trixie arranges to visit in the new year so they can compare wardrobes and Trixie can give her a makeover. 

“What were you gossiping about?” Tim asks her with a grin when she joins him on the sofa after Trixie and Christopher have left, Allie sleeping on Christopher’s shoulder. “And should I be worried?”   
Annie shakes her head and rests against his shoulder with a sigh, but it's warm. “We were talking about family,” Annie explains, quietly, and Tim makes a small noise back and takes her hand in his. Annie gives his hand a squeeze. 

“Thank you so much for bringing me here for Christmas Tim.” Her voice is still quiet, and she keeps her hand in his. She has so much more she wants to say to him, but she can’t find the right words to explain how much it means to her. How it feels to be surrounded by people who know she’s expecting a baby, and unmarried, and are so welcoming. So she settles on just a simple thank you. 

Dinner winds down and everyone starts filtering out, headed back to their own homes. Teddy had climbed up onto Tim’s lap sleepily as they were waiting for Shelagh. Who had slipped into the chapel for a few moments before they left. Patrick had Angela on his hip, with her head resting on his shoulder, looking just as sleepy as her little brother.


End file.
